The Management
by SEZCPL
Summary: Prequel to The Wedding. After being spotted on a talent show, Casey has made it big as a singer and Derek...well, he's been chasing a girl again and look where it's got him! Unashamedly DASEY!
1. Reality Check

There comes a time in everyone's lives when you have to take the consequences of your actions. You have to realise the mistakes you have made, dig yourself out of the sorry smelly mess you have sunk into and pack up and go home. Derek knew he had reached that point.

As far as everyone else was concerned his mess smelled a whole lot worse from the outside. They couldn't see the perfect sense his actions had made to him – still made to him. But even he had to admit he had reached the end of the line with his life plan. It was time to shred it and move on; time to move home.

He had no job; the latest dead end bar job had come to an end when some drugged up punk set fire to the rat-infested joint. No job meant no money so in two weeks he would have no home. Although using the term 'home' was giving the pit he lived in way too much glamour. To cap it all the lousy girl he had followed to this stinking god forsaken country three years ago still had absolutely no idea he was there. She didn't care.

She didn't know that it was for her he had jacked in his college education after a year, packed up his life in his rapidly disintegrating car and set off for LA.

His family thought he was crazy, his father was uncharacteristically apoplectic. His mother had shouted down the phone until his voicemail cut out. His step-mother, who was right up there in the 'love for my parents' stakes, had cried. Marti, they told him wasn't talking to him. She couldn't understand why he wouldn't come home to her. Lizzie tried to talk reasonably to him and gave up. Edwin, in self-absorbed teenage Venturi mode, told him what Derek was doing was so cool, and could he come stay for spring break? Robbie gurgled.

He didn't know what Casey thought of it, because Casey was on a different planet to him right now. He didn't doubt that she remembered her family, and she probably spoke to her mom once a week from some luxury hotel or another, but if anyone had told her about Derek it had never fed back to him, and she had never called.

Which was kind of tragic, because they lived in the same city.

Until now. Because now he was going to have to give up and go home. It felt like desertion. He had come here for a purpose and he couldn't fulfil that purpose any longer. He needed to eat. He needed a job and he needed a roof over his head he could afford. And the girl would just have to muddle along in life without her guardian angel. The angel she didn't even know was there.

He was sitting in a bar in a fairly rough part of town because that was the only type of place he could afford to drink these days. He was staring into his second beer of the evening and oozing 'stay the fuck away from me' vibes that were having the desired effect. He still looked like Derek, still dressed like Derek, still was Derek. But, right now he was anything but attractive.

His cell rang and he pulled it reluctantly from his brown leather jacket and examined the call display. It had rung three times in the past half an hour and each time it had been his father. Derek didn't want to talk to his father. There would be time enough for the lecture when the prodigal son returned home. So the three earlier times he had rejected the calls without answering.

This time it was Sam.

"Yo Sammy!" he said with mock enthusiasm. He was still close to his best friend, but as Sam was now a graduate and starting on what promised to be a good career path, it was strained between them. Sam felt uncomfortable around Derek as though it was his fault that his best friend had dropped out of college. Derek had told him repeatedly that it wasn't, but as he couldn't share the real reason for his decision, Sam had only half believed it.

"Derek. Your dad asked me to call you. Are you near a TV?" Sam said soberly. Derek felt a chill creeping towards him. He looked around frantically and then spotted the TV above the bar. He nodded to the barman.

"That thing work?" The barman shrugged and threw him the remote. Derek switched it on.

"What am I looking for?" he asked Sam.

"A news channel."

"Which one?"

"Any." Sam's tone was ominous. Derek could feel a sense of panic dawning.

He flicked until he came across CNN. His stepsister's face filled the screen and he dropped his eyes to the ticker tape at the bottom.

**Canadian singer Casey collapses at her LA home.**

"Fuck!" He swore, his hands were starting to shake. "What did dad tell you?"

"They don't know anything. They just saw it on the television themselves, no one from her management company has phoned them and no one will take their calls."

"You are kidding me?"

"No. It happened an hour ago."

"Thanks Sam. I appreciate the heads up. Don't worry I'm on it." He said downing his beer, noting the name of the hospital Casey had been taken to as he grabbed his coat. He charged for the door arm already raised to hail a cab.

During the fifteen minute journey to the hospital he called his Dad.

"Dad. It's me. Have you heard anything yet?"

"Derek, thank god! No. Her management haven't been in touch. All we know is what you see on the screen. God! I wish she was here in Canada."

"What about her waste of space boyfriend?"

"We haven't got a number for him. I don't think things were too good between them just lately."

"Okay. I'm en route to the hospital now."

"Will they let you in?"  
"Dad. This is me we are talking about, I can talk my way into a nunnery."

"Thanks Derek. Nora and I appreciate it."  
"Dad. It's what I'm here for."

It was the first time Derek had told the truth about LA, but he doubted his father had understood.


	2. Next Of Kin

The hospital was buzzing and Derek felt sorry for the ordinary people who had sick relatives because the press was all over the entrance hall and the receptionists were struggling to cope with the volume of people all clambering for information on Casey. He glanced at the lifts and the stairs and noticed security guards at both. Getting into see Casey via the back door was going to be hard. He looked back towards the receptionists. It would take half an hour to get even close the official way and his family couldn't cope with that kind of delay. Then he spotted a small gift shop in the corner of the reception area and made for it.

Five minutes later, he emerged from the shop with his purchases and left the hospital.

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The hospital security guards/bouncers were having a field day. They liked nothing better than to flex their not inconsiderable muscles and grind heads against brickwork. In particular they liked paparazzi – preferably hot and served on French toast. A couple of the beefcakes had already discharged four enterprising specimens for thinking that they could sneak past them and get up the stairs. Two photographers had tried the old doctor's uniform routine and one dedicated bloodsucker had persuaded his colleague to break his nose for him so that he would end up in triage, behind the initial security cordon.

The reception area was full but they had a fairly easy job recognising their prey that spend long periods of time in the cold and the rain, drinking coffee and scoffing doughnuts, so they all tend to look alike after a while. Currently, the large waiting area was swarming with large, sweaty men of about fifty with cameras around their neck. Otherwise, apart from their own colleagues on the security team, it was mainly normal looking people trying to get help for their own problems.

So when a solid, good-looking guy in his mid-twenties with a plastic ear piece, walkie-talkie, dark shades, a leather jacket and a Canadian accent arrived talking loudly into his cell, the security team _knew_ he was someone.

"I don't give a flying _fuck_! I want the press out of the reception area now! Have you seen the chaos down here?! Who've you got working for you? Yogi bear?" The shaded guy was shouting into the cell now. "Nah. It can wait an hour or two – OF COURSE I MEAN NOW!" He hung up and walked over to one of the security guards.

"Listen sweet cheeks, if you still want your job tomorrow morning, I suggest you get every one of these vultures out of here in five minutes. And I don't want to hear about anyone's granny getting mowed down in the process, comprendez? Sheez! Am I going to have to do this myself?!"

The security guard wasn't blessed with the largest package of brains, but he knew how to follow orders – and to give them. He barked at his men and they immediately surged on the reception desk in a chain, wiping the whole area clear of pressmen. The disgruntled photographers were herded out of the electric doors and into the parking lot like a mass of lost sheep. The security guard ordered his men to form a line across the entrance, prohibiting the return of said vultures, smiled at his handiwork and returned to the reception area to get the shaded guy's approval.

It wasn't possible. The nurses on reception told him he had had to go and deal with another incident further into the hospital. But they were grateful to have their reception area returned to calm, and one of the nurses was so impressed she gave the security guard her personal cell phone number.

Halfway up the stairs, Derek smirked into his cell phone. "Thanks Lizzie. Sorry if I gave you earache. Tell Nora I'll call as soon as I hear anything." And he closed his cell phone, pulled the plastic key chain from his ear and pushed the children's walkie-talkie further into his pocket.

When the guards had cleared the reception area, Derek had managed to get Casey's location from one of the nurses, so he headed straight up. To his relief it appeared she wasn't in the emergency room, although she was in a high dependency area. That didn't bode well.

He found her corridor easily and saw there were again a collection of security guards waiting outside of her suite. This time he played it by the book and approached the nurse's station.

"I'm here to see Casey McDonald." He announced.

"Isn't everyone?" said the bored nurse.

Derek leaned across the desk. "That may very well be the case, but I'm the one that counts!" he stated firmly. The nurse looked up.

"Name?"

"Derek Venturi." She glanced down a list.

"You aren't on here."

"I don't give a damn. You are going to let me in."

"I'm sorry Mr Venturi but no one goes in without being on the list."  
"I'm her brother. Who compiled a list that doesn't include her family?" The nurse looked taken aback.

"I'm sorry. You need to be on the list."

Derek could feel the anger growing in him. "Look. My family are pacing the floor in Canada because no one will tell them what the fuck is wrong with their daughter, so you are going to let me in that room either willingly or I will call the person in charge of this miserable hospital and threaten to sue the fucking pants off him – or her! I can do that. Casey's step-father is a lawyer."

A more senior nurse hearing the commotion approached. "Is there a problem?" she asked, her manner hostile.

"Yeah. I'll say there's a problem. I want to see my sister but apparently because I'm not on some 'list' I'm not allowed."  
"You sister is?"

"Casey McDonald."

"And you are?"

"Derek Venturi." Derek saw the look on the nurse's face. "She's my step-sister. Her mother is in Canada but as I live in LA, she asked me to come."

"The list please?" The senior nurse asked her colleague and taking it, glanced down.

"This list came from her management?" she asked. The junior nurse nodded. The senior nurse looked thoughtful.

"Perhaps if we contact Miss McDonald's next-of-kin and ask them for their permission?" she suggested. Derek beamed at her, unleashing the full Venturi charm. "Yes…please…do."

The junior nurse swung round on her chair and pulled Casey's file from an in-tray behind her.

"Who is the next of kin?" The senior nurse said as the other nurse began reading. She looked up.

"Derek Venturi." She said in disbelief.

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Getting past the nurses was one thing. Getting past the security guards was something else. They pulled Casey's manager from the room, a small, fat guy of about forty dripping with gold and heavy on the attitude.

"I gave instructions that Casey was not to be disturbed." He stated when informed that Casey's brother was waiting to see her.

"Let me tell you what you can do with your fucking list and 'instructions'." Derek said ominously. Milo the manager stepped back.

"You need to make an appointment." He said, trying to regain ground.

"Look ass-hole. What kind of manager lets their star's family find out she is ill by watching it on CNN???? What kind of insensitive _jerk_ still hasn't phoned them to tell them how Casey is doing two hours after she is admitted to hospital? And what kind of moron thinks that you can keep her brother from seeing her?" Derek pushed past Milo and stormed through the door. Milo sighed and followed close behind him.


	3. Phoning Home

Derek stepped into a small foyer obviously designed to keep the noise of the hospital from the patient. He paused before the inner door and then opened it carefully.

Casey was lying on a hospital bed, asleep. A drip was feeding something into her arm, but to his relief there was nothing helping her breathe although she had a heart monitor.

Milo tried to follow him into the room, but a nurse just inside the door, stopped him.

"One person at a time." She said very quietly and shut the door in Milo's face.

"I'm Casey's brother." Derek introduced himself in a whisper to the nurse. "How is she?"

"She's resting at the moment. She's very weak. It would appear she has been over doing things for a long time and is suffering from nervous exhaustion. That coupled with her not eating led to her collapse."

"Not eating?" Derek said, slightly panicked. The nurse nodded, relieved to see someone who didn't immediately ask how soon she would be able to perform again.

"She told me that she has been too busy to eat."

Derek closed his eyes.

"How long till I can take her home?" he asked.

"Well we want her to be stronger so we will keep her in for a few days, get her eating and sleeping again. Then we will review things."

"Can I stay?" He glanced over at Casey. He hadn't seen her in person for three years. She looked thin, worn. But, she was still Casey, the 'accident by marriage' he spent his teenage years fighting with and the need to stay near her was overpowering.

"If you are quiet. Her manager has been in here, but I had to ask him to leave, he kept making cell phone calls."

"I don't suppose any of them were to her family?" Derek asked. The nurse shook her head.

"Bastard. Casey's mom is going crazy in Canada. Look, I don't want to leave the room because if I do that idiot is going to be back in like a shot, can I make a call from the bathroom? I want to let her mom know she's going to be okay."

The nurse nodded. "Just keep it down."

Derek stepped into the en suite bathroom and checked for a signal. He was relieved to see there was one and quickly dialled home.

"Hi Dad. It's me."

"Derek!" The relief in his Dad's voice was obvious.

"She's suffering from exhaustion and she hasn't been eating much. They're keeping her in to build up her strength. But she'll be okay."

"Thank god!" Derek waited while his father relayed the information to Nora.

"Can we talk to her?"

"She's asleep. I haven't spoken to her yet. She looks thin. When did you last speak to her?"

"About three weeks ago."

"Three weeks!" Derek was astonished. Casey not communicating with him was a given. Casey not communicating with her mom, unheard of.

"She said it was difficult to get away. Apparently, her manager had to take her cell away from her because it was distracting her."

Derek tensed. "Dad. I don't like that guy. Her manager. You wouldn't believe the trouble I had trying to get into see her. I daren't leave the room because I'd never get back in. He had a list of people who were allowed into see her and none of us were on it. I mean, how can it be right that her own family can't see her? And what sort of manager runs his charge into the ground so much she ends up in hospital?"

"How _did_ you get in then?"

"I got antsy so the nurses decided to contact her next-of-kin to ask permission for me to go in. When they pulled her file, the person named as next-of-kin _was_ me."

"You?" George sounded astounded.

Derek chuckled. "Yeah. It surprised the hell out of me too. I guess she must have found out I was in LA." He turned serious. "Dad. I think we need to look into Casey's management team. Something smells around here and it isn't my socks."

"Okay. I'll try and get hold of her lawyer."

"Be careful dad. The one thing I've learnt about life down here, everyone knows everyone else."

"Okay. I'll keep that in mind. Stay with her. I'll see if I can get some sort of temporary legal authority for you to be involved in her care. As soon as she is well enough, we want Casey brought home."

"I know. I'll check in with you guys later. Oh Dad? Give Sam a call and let him know Casey's okay. He'll be beside himself with worry."

Derek went back into Casey's room to find there was a doctor with the nurse.

"Ah. Mr Venturi!" The cheery man with white hair said his voice low.

"I understand you are Miss McDonald's brother."

"_Step_-brother. Her mom married my dad. How's she doing?"

The doctor frowned. "She's completely exhausted. She has been working too hard and eating too little. If she carries on like this her heart won't be able to cope."

Derek hissed. "Just what does that ass-hole think he's playing at?" The doctor looked slightly taken aback. "You mean her manager?" he questioned. Derek nodded.

"Does it really benefit him if she's too weak to perform? I mean I know she's hot property but even so…"

"I understand you had trouble trying to get in to see your step-sister." The doctor said.

"Yeah. Apparently, none of her family was on the 'list'." Derek showed his contempt as he did finger quotes around the word 'list'. "Look is there anyway we can keep him out of her room for a few days, to help her recover? I think anyone connected with work is a bad thing for her at the moment."

The doctor sighed. "I have to say I am relieved to find someone close to Casey who feels the same way I do." He looked thoughtful. "I'll make a family-only order on medical grounds. Will any of the rest of her family be coming to see her?"

"I don't know yet. It depends how long she is in for. I want to take her home to Canada as soon as possible."

"That sounds like a good idea to me. We'll keep with the fluids and rest for tonight and then tomorrow when she's more awake we'll start getting her to eat. You can stay but she needs complete quiet."

"What about Milo the Moron?" Derek asked.

"Leave him to me."

The doctor left and Derek heard Milo start to argue with him as the door slammed shut. But the doctor obviously won, because Derek didn't see Casey's manager again through the night.

As soon as the doctor had left, he pulled a chair forwards. The nurse, seeing he was settling in for the night excused herself and returned to the nursing station outside. Derek pulled the chair to Casey's bedside and sat down.

He brushed the hair from her face and took her hand in his.

"Well Klutzilla! That was some spectacular you put on there. Scared the shit out of the parentals." He whispered. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Derek?" She whispered back.

"None other. Miss me?"

"Like a hole in my head." She said, her eyes still closed but a warm smile on her face. He squeezed her hand. "Go back to sleep, princess."

"Will you be there when I wake up?" she asked her eyes flicking open to meet his.

"Yeah. Think you can stand it?"

"I'll live." She said. "Stay. Please." Her eyes closed as Derek pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"For you, princess, the world." He murmured.


	4. Catching Up

Casey woke the next morning with both hands trapped. One had something painful in the top of it that pulled at her very veins. The other had its fingers intertwined with another, masculine hand. It was soft and gentle and her mind, hovered on the edge of sleep, trying to work out why it was significant. Her eyes flew open as soon as she recalled last night's brief conversation with Derek.

Derek!

Derek, the irritating step-brother-cum-bane of her existence who she hadn't seen in three years.

Derek, tormentor of her teenage years, bizarre brief friend of her college year.

Derek, the guy whose last words to her, prior to last night, were "Screw you Casey! If I never see you again it won't be long enough!"

She saw a mass of red-brown hair beside her hand on the bed. He was asleep. It had been three years since she had seen Derek and she had thought she would never see him again. The relief which washed over her brought tears to her eyes and she squeezed his hand. The slight movement made him stir and he raised his head and looked at her.

For a whole minute they looked at each other, and then he spoke.

"God you look rough!"

"Take a look in the mirror, hot shot!"

"At least, I'm not the one in the hospital bed."

"Keep this up buster and you might be!"

He smirked at her. "You're rusty, Casey. You need to hone your insults."

"Yeah well. No one seems to want to argue with me these days." She paused. "Come to think of it, you were the only one who argued with me then!"

They both grinned.

"God! I've missed this." She said, honestly.

"You see! I told you. Everyone succumbs to the old Venturi charm in the end."

"Moron!"

"Lamebrain!"

"Egotistical jerk!"

"Princess!"

He grinned at her and moved his other hand to sandwich her fingers between his. Then he looked serious.

"Case. About what I said, three years ago…"

"Forget it. Three years was three years. And look at me. I'm exactly where you said I would be."

He shook his head. "No. I said you'd fail at it. You haven't. This isn't your doing. This is your manager not looking after you."

Casey sighed. "I'm just so tired. There aren't enough hours in the day. I've never been so disorganised."  
"You…disorganised! Ha ha ha ha. Says the girl who used to have her underwear drawer laid out by colour and comfort."

She looked at him in horror. "How the hell did you know how my underwear drawer was laid out?"

"I was looking for your diary."

"Der-ek!"

Derek beamed at her. "I've been waiting three years to hear that again."

"What are you doing here, Derek?" She said after another lost moment.

"Visiting my lousy step-sister in hospital, what's it look like?"

"I mean what are you doing in LA?"

"I live here, Casey."

"What?" she looked surprised. "Since when?"

"Since I dropped out of college."

"You did WHAT?" she shrieked at him. "Der-ek!"

He looked confused. "Didn't Nora tell you?"

"No. They said you'd done something stupid and that you were persona non grata but I sort of assumed it was get someone pregnant or something."

"Thanks, Casey. It means a lot that you think that much of me."

She sighed. "I'm sorry. I've been distracted for a while."

"Yeah well. I dropped out and came down here. Had a few jobs, lost a few jobs. Same old, same old. Actually, I won't be around much longer I'm off back home."

She frowned. "Why?"

"No job, no money, no home." He said matter-of-factly.

"Derek." She used the hand he had trapped to brush his overly long hair from his face. The moment passed and she hardened herself.

"You need a hair cut."

"You need a personality transplant but hey, I'm not fussy."

She shook her head at him, smiling.

The door opened and Casey's doctor appeared.

"Ah! Miss McDonald. Back on the planet, I see."  
Derek snorted. "She's never been on the same planet as us, doc."

Casey moved the hand he still had trapped and tried to bat him on the nose. The doctor smiled.

"Yes. You seem to be improving. How do you feel?"

"Exhausted." She said. "And hungry."

"That's good. I'll get them to bring you some breakfast. We'll be keeping you here for a few days to regain your strength and then I want you to take a vacation."

Casey shook her head. "I can't. I've got concerts and commitments."

"Miss McDonald. I'm only going to say this once, okay?"

Casey nodded.

"If you keep up the pace you are, you will be dead before you are thirty. You stopped eating. You weren't sleeping. Even if that was all your body would end up in a bad way, but I know how this industry works, it's only a matter of time before you start reaching for something to mask the exhaustion. I've seen many celebrities through here using drugs to compensate when all they really need is a rest. That, Casey, is a dead end street."

"She's not going down that route." Derek said, determinedly.

The doctor smiled. "Good. Because otherwise I'm wasting my time."

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They shared their first breakfast together in a very long time. Casey eating from the tray placed in front of her, Derek from the table across the other side of the room…at the start at least. But then when he couldn't stand it anymore he brought his plate to her bedside and they ate in silence, side by side.

"So." Said Derek, finishing a mouthful. "Where's lover boy?"

Casey frowned. "Lover boy?"

"Yeah, the waste of space boyfriend you've been all over the gossip mags with."

Casey looked away. "Sean?"

"Was that his name?"  
"Yeah." She looked back at Derek. "It should have been 'Truman'." She said pointedly.

"Oh." Derek understood. "How long before you found out?"

"Four months." She said. "Turned out, his 'daughter' co-star was giving him one in his trailer between takes."

Derek took the un-Casey-like expressions in his stride. "Niiiice!" he said.

Casey laughed. "Gives a whole new meaning to familial bonding."

Her step-brother gave her a strange look. "You're taking it well."

She shrugged. "The writing was on the wall anyway. I don't have relationships very often and when I do, they don't last long." She looked sad.

"When are you leaving?" she asked after a minute.

"Can't wait to be rid of me?" he asked.

"No. But you said you were leaving LA. I just wondered when."  
"Lease is up on my flea-pit in ten days. So I'll be around to see you off on your vacation."

Casey leaned back against her pillows. "He's going to insist, isn't he?"

"Who, the doctor?"

"Yeah."  
"Never mind the doctor, I'm going to insist. You need a break."

"It's easier said than done. I have contracts to fulfil and commitments."  
Derek put down his plate and Casey gulped. It really wasn't a good idea to come between Derek and his food.

"You are going on vacation, if I have to drag you there myself." He said slowly and forcefully.

"Fine. It's a deal!" she said, suddenly.

"What's a deal?" Derek asked, resuming his breakfast.

"I'll go on vacation…." She smiled. "If you come with me."


	5. Going Home

"Quit sulking, Derek."

"I'm not sulking."

Casey smirked and looked at him across the car.

"D. The Prince would never have made the journey. We'd be stuck in some redneck town with only one horse and no gas station waiting for a tow truck. Your car (and your things) will be fine at my house. And this car at least smells better." She glanced out of the tinted windows at the scenery rushing past. "You should get rid of it anyway. It's a death trap."

That got his back up. "Yeah. Sure. Just as soon as _my_ record deal comes through and I make my first million."

"Derek. I meant I'll buy you a new one."

Her step-brother sat up, his face livid. "Stop the car!"

Casey sat forward. "No. Don't!" she ordered the driver, who kept driving.

"No fucking way, Casey! You are not buying my friendship!"

She looked at him in astonishment. "Derek. I'm not _buying_ you. Look. The whole deal with you having the Prince was that I would pay the insurance, yes? So I owe you four years worth of insurance. That should be enough for a down payment on a new car. If you got one on a monthly payment plan, you could pay it off a little at a time."

He shook his head. "Casey, no one would lend to me, I don't even have an address."

"I'll lend to you. You use the insurance money as a down payment. I pay the rest and you pay me back a bit each month. You can start with a little and build it up as you can afford it." She grinned at him. "I won't get the heavy mob in if you miss a payment."  
"That's still buying me, Casey."

"Yeah. But surely it feels more palatable this way?"

He rolled his eyes. "Hmmm. I'll think about it."

"I don't want to be that person, Derek. The one that stuffs money up everyone's noses. But, surely I can give money to people when I want to? Mom and George let me help them with the new house. They chose it, and it's smaller than I had offered, but it's what they want, so we're all happy. It's like those." She waved a hand at a bag of presents visible in the back of the car. "Nothing cost more than $40, because I know the family would be uncomfortable. Of course, I put money in the kids' trust funds every month, but they won't know about those until they're twenty five. Mom and George thought it was best that way. Nice sensible presents when I visit, and putting something away for the future. We agreed the amount I would put away as well."

"Please tell me there isn't a trust fund for me as well." He said.

"No. I assumed you wouldn't accept it."  
"You assumed right."

"I'll give you anything you want, though."

He shook his head. She sighed.

"Derek, please don't make assumptions about me. I'm still Casey."

He snorted. "I can't even call you keener and grade-grubber anymore since you ditched college."

"I'm still a klutz around guys."

"And around me."  
"You're a guy Derek. Or you were the last time I looked."

Derek looked at her in amusement, and then she realised what she had said and coloured.

"I meant…"

He chuckled and interrupted. "I know what you meant. What you _said_ was funnier though."

"Der-ek."

Later as he tried to go to sleep in the car, he wondered why he had agreed to this vacation.

But the answer was right there sitting beside him. Because Casey was going home and the idea of the two of them back under the same roof…too good an opportunity to miss. Her plan was to spend a week at home with their family and then go onto a quiet holiday elsewhere, and for the first week at least, he had agreed to go with her. And as a bonus, when he had suggested to Casey that the trip home should just be them and not any of her staff, she had agreed.

Milo was not happy. He was still seething over the whole hospital business anyway, but then to be told that he wasn't going with Casey to her family home…

Casey, however, had been insistent. She was taking the doctor's words to heart; she had neglected herself and her family. She really wanted to spend a month with them, but at least they would have her to themselves for a week. How could Derek not be a part of that?

When they weren't discussing money, they got on pretty well. They had managed to pick up their friendship again, and Casey knew it was only a matter of time before he started pranking her again. She couldn't wait!

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It had been three years since Derek was last in London. But, little had changed. Casey pointed out a couple of new buildings and a new road, but otherwise it was just as though he had been on a two week vacation.

It had also been three years since he had seen his family. Lizzie and Edwin were about to go off to college, Marti had just become a teenager and Robbie, the brother they both shared was four. The nerves crept up on Derek as they grew closer to their destination, and so did the guilt.

Casey noticed he was quiet.

"Are you okay?"

He shook himself. "Yeah. Just a bit nervous about seeing the fam. I haven't been home in three years."

"I know." She took his hand. "They missed you. They'll be pleased to see you."

"How often have you been home?"

"A couple of times a year. It isn't easy. It takes so much planning for the security team. Everyone makes this lifestyle out to be so glamorous. It isn't. It's one long headache and time away from your family." She rubbed her temples.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, concerned. She was looking pale today.

"Tired. I'm always tired these days."

"It's because you are learning to relax. All your body wants you to do is sleep."

"I guess it will have its way then." She said, yawning.

The driver turned into a set of gates and down a curving drive towards a house which was modest in comparison to its grounds. Derek liked the new family house. It had character and it looked like a family home. The car pulled up outside and was immediately surrounded by Venturis and McDonalds.

When they had been away at college for that brief year, Derek and Casey had been surprised by the difference in their parents and siblings when they went home for the holidays. The change in them after _three years_ was frightening. Marti had grown tall and gangly, awkward in her new teen status. Lizzie had shed her tom-boy image and was going to be an attractive young woman. Edwin was going for 'teenage Derek clone' and Robbie was a chatty pre-schooler.

Derek resolved never to be away from his family for as long again.

It was hard to say who the family wanted to see most, Casey because she had been ill and they had been so worried or Derek because it had been so long. In the end, they all came together in a massive bear hug and it wasn't only the girls who sniffed back tears. George held his son to him for a long time and Nora wouldn't let Casey out of her sight. Nora's reaction to Derek was strong too. She cried against his chest.

"Don't you ever freaking do that to us again, Derek." Nora said, uncharacteristically cursing. "We've been worried sick."

"I won't, Mom. I promise." He murmured into her hair – and meant every word. She looked up at him as she heard the M word and the tears began again.

Only one person avoided Derek. But it was the person who hurt the most.

Marti hugged Casey and then held her at arms length to inspect her seriously as only a thirteen year old can. Once she had pronounced her "pale" and "in need of fattening up", she let her go. But unlike the rest of the family, she didn't then turn her attention to Derek. She went back into the house and disappeared. Derek watched her go with a heavy heart. So did Casey who crossed to Derek and placed a hand on his back.

"You'll sort it out with her. She's just young and hurting. Just be honest with her and she'll understand."

Derek followed the rest of the family in to what was now his family home, with a sense of how much everything had changed.


	6. Jack And Jill

The noise level was the first familiar thing to him. As soon as everyone was back inside the house, they began running around, shouting in excitement, dragging Casey and Derek back and forth showing them things. Craig, the driver, and Joel, the security guy were shown to the little two bed-room apartment over the garage which had been built to house Casey's team when she came to stay.

There had been a few changes to the furnishing, such as a new sofa when the old one collapsed under Aunt Maud's backside one Christmas, but Derek was reassured by the décor. It was as though they had transferred their old living room into their new one. It was bigger, but it was largely the same shape and he felt at home. Casey grabbed his hand and took him upstairs to show him his room.

The same process of transportation had taken place upstairs. He saw the same pictures in similar places on the walls. One big change was the presence of Nora and George's bedroom on the third floor next to Robbie's room. Everyone else had a room on the second floor.

Casey opened the door to Derek's room with a flourish and he was transported back three years. They must have taken photographs of his room so that they could put the posters back in exactly the right places. He laughed.

"You do realise I'm going to spend the whole week rearranging everything, don't you?"

Casey grinned. "Yes. But that was your job, not ours."

There was one addition to his room; an extra door. He walked across and opened it.

"An en-suite?! No way!" he said, laughing. "Ha! Does this mean we have to stop fighting over the bathroom?"

Casey shrugged. Derek spotted a second door at the other side of the bathroom.

"Where does that go?"

She smiled and he got suspicious.

"This is a Jack and Jill bathroom." She said and chuckled at his puzzled looked. "It means that two bedrooms share it. That door leads to the other bedroom."

"Who has the other bedroom?" he asked.

"Who had the bedroom next to yours in the old house?" she asked innocently.

His eyes widened. "You?! You have the opportunity to have a room anywhere in the house, and you pick not only the one next to mine, but the one that means we have to share a bathroom….AGAIN!"

Casey grinned broadly. "Yup!"

"You're asking to be pranked, you do realise don't you?"

"Yes."

It was manipulative of her, making sure of the continuity of the two houses. But somehow he couldn't be cross. He looked at the pale, worn out Casey in front of him; a Casey who, given the option to stop their crazy arguments had passed on it. He didn't want to get angry, he wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her how much he had missed her. Actually he wanted to say far more than that, but he stopped at the small, brotherly kiss he placed on her forehead as he held her.

"You don't mind?" she asked.

"No. But, by the end of the week, you'll probably want to swap with Marti." He grinned. She chuckled and they stood for a while enjoying a hug which they both told themselves was finally the brotherly hug they had been waiting for since they were fifteen.

The fact that it took every ounce of Derek's will power not to kiss Casey on the mouth or that Casey toyed with the idea of pulling Derek into her bedroom and locking the door was each unknown to the other.

Derek and Casey had grown closer at college in that brief year and if it hadn't been for the talent show which had launched her career, they both suspected they would eventually have reached the point where the next step was dating. As it was, Casey's decision to enter the competition had not been approved of by Derek. They had argued about it; one of those rare arguments where they were very angry and hot words were spoken. But it hadn't been until Casey won and then announced that she was dropping out of college to pursue her dream that Derek really got angry. The frightening thing was his anger didn't make him shout, it made him quiet.

He ignored her for a month.

By the time they spoke again, his anger had built up to the point that all he was capable of doing was shouting. And all he had shouted was "Screw you Casey! If I never see you again it won't be long enough!"

So she had gone. And when he realised what he had done, he followed her.

He didn't follow her because he wanted to talk her out of it.

He didn't follow her to let her know he was wrong.

He followed her because if she was going to follow her dream, he was going to be nearby in case it all blew up. Because ever since he was fifteen and his father married her mother, someone somewhere had decided, Derek was the one to bail her out.

He wasn't sure she was going to fail. He just wanted to know, if she needed him, she didn't have to cross the continental USA to find him.

Casey looked up at him, bringing him back into the present. "Does it feel like home?" she asked, meaning the house and his room.

"Yes." He said, meaning her embrace.


	7. Smarti Again

George slipped his arms around his wife's waist and kissed her neck as she cooked tea.

"Spaghetti Bolognese, salad and garlic bread. We haven't had that in ages!"

Nora smiled over her shoulder. "It was the one meal they could agree on when they were teenagers." She turned and looked at her husband. "Derek called me 'Mom'." She said, her eyes filling with emotion.

"I know. I heard." He said, and they shared a moment of quiet joy.

"I mean, obviously I can't replace Abby, but it was a lovely thought."

George smiled. "You've always had a good relationship with him. Just the right balance of tolerance and frustration." They laughed.

"I need someone to set the table." Nora said.

George smirked. "Ask Derek and Casey, it's more than their turn!"

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"DEREK, Casey! Get your butts down here and set the table!" George shouted up the stairs. Derek swung round on his computer chair and regarded Casey, carefully. She was sitting on his bed looking through all the CDs he had left behind.

"Now I feel like I'm home." He said, motioning towards the door. Casey laughed.

"Me too!"

"Come on. Let's go before they start taking away our privileges."

They started out onto the landing, but Derek paused beside Marti's door. Casey touched his arm in understanding.

"Go on. Sort it out. I'll set the table."

"Thanks Case." And Derek knocked on Marti's door.

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She opened the door and on seeing it was him let go of it and moved back towards her bed. He decided to assume that was an invitation to go in, did so and closed the door behind him.

Her room had lost most of the soft toys of her childhood and he smirked at the Zac Efron poster on the wall above her bed. She had a computer of her own now and he decided to perch on her chair backwards, leaning his arms on the back.

"S'up Smarti?"

She looked up then. "Only Smerek calls me Smarti. You aren't Smerek."

"Because I didn't come home?"  
"Because you made Dad and Nora, and Mom unhappy. Because I haven't seen you in three fucking years…"

"MARTI!" He said, shocked at his little sister's curse.

"Derek. You haven't been here for three years. You have no right to tell me what to do. You no longer hold the big brother card."

"No. You're right I don't. I'm sorry Martha." He paused. "I did it for a good reason though."

"But you won't tell anyone what that reason was." She stated bitterly. Derek looked at the girl who was trying to be a grown up but was still too young and decided to tell the truth.

"I won't tell anyone else." He said. "But I will tell you."

Marti couldn't hide that she was interested.

"I did it for a girl."

She rolled her eyes. "We sort of guessed that."

"I did it because I thought my best friend was making the biggest mistake of her life and I didn't want her to get hurt. So I followed her to LA."

"You left college." She said accusingly. It sounded as though teenage Marti had taken on Casey's keener instincts.

"Marti. How would you feel if someone you loved decided to jump off a cliff into shark infested waters? Would you let them or would you run to the shore and pull out the rescue boat?"

"What was her name?" Marti asked.

Derek smiled. "Think about it Marti. Think about when I did it and where I went."

Marti was quiet for a moment. "You went after Casey!"

Derek nodded.

"Because she's your sister?" Marti asked. But she didn't believe it.

Derek shook his head.

"Because she's your best friend?"

He shrugged. "Something like that." He said. Marti nodded.

"You gave up a lot."

"For Casey." He said as though that explained everything.

Marti's eyes widened. "You're in love with her!"

Derek looked at her in astonishment. "You _have_ grown up." He turned serious. "Marti, you can't tell anyone. Casey doesn't feel that way about me and it would make things really messy for the whole family if anyone found out. I told you because I want you to understand that I had to choose between the two people I love most in the world. And it wasn't that you come second. It was that I knew that when I saw you again you would understand. At the time, Casey's need was greater. Although it _was_ three years before she needed me, and I was nearly home by then."

"You were coming home?"

"Yes. No money, no job, no home."

"Having you in LA when Casey was taken sick made the world of difference to Dad and Nora." Marti said. "I heard dad say at one point that he had never been so glad for one of your mistakes."

Derek chuckled. "I've no doubt at some point I will be getting the benefit of his instruction on the last three years."

Marti laughed. "Oh yeah. He's been practising."

Derek winced.

"I love you Smarti." He said.

"I love you too Smerek. Welcome home."

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"Marti! Derek! Lizzie! Edwin!" Nora hollered up the stairs.

"Coming!" The house seemed to chorus. Nora looked at Casey and grinned. They both knew that Nora had been desperate for that sound for the last three years. Casey saw the tears in her mother's eyes and felt a lump in her own throat.

…which only got worse when Derek came pounding down the stairs with Marti strapped to his back. They were both laughing.

Casey helped her step-sister from Derek's back and then eased Robbie into his seat next to Nora. The table had been reorganised slightly, Casey still sat next to Lizzie but now Derek was beside her rather than opposite her. As they took their seats, she glanced at him and he winked at her, and grinned. It was the biggest genuine smile she had seen on his face in more than three years. It said, 'I'm home with my whole family and my youngest sister is talking to me again. Life doesn't get any better.'

Personally, Casey agreed.


	8. Huey

**AN: Don't read this if you are eating! *grin***

The pranking started the next day. Casey, still thoroughly exhausted slept late and when she finally made it into the bathroom she shared with Derek she was still sleepy. But, fortunately, her Derek instincts kicked in and when a sweet smell emerged from her shampoo as she squirted it into her hand, she knew.

"Der-ek!" She shouted.

"You called." He replied through the door.

"Do you think you could pass me some shampoo that _doesn't_ contain honey?"

He grinned, opened the door and, arm over his eyes handed her a new bottle of apple shampoo.

"I told you that you were ripe for pranking." He said, looking away.

"And I told you I was ready for it." She said, unexpectedly close to his ear.

Derek recovered quickly. "Nora told me to tell you that breakfast is ready."

"I'll be down as soon as you get out of my bathroom."  
"Our bathroom." He corrected, but he left the room.

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It reassured Derek to see that his father was still besotted with Nora, and she obviously felt the same way. The whole house was one of love and he felt pleased for his younger siblings that in a modern world with so much hatred, they would grow up in an atmosphere of love.

He spent _hours_ with Robbie and Marti. He went bowling with Edwin, who, he had to admit was annoying. He started to have some sympathy with the people who had put up with Derek in high school. And to ensure complete balance, he went with Casey (wig and dark glasses) to watch Lizzie perform in a Tae Kwando competition.

It might be Casey that this vacation was about, but Derek had to admit, he was feeling better already.

He caught up with his friends too. Sam still lived locally and was relieved when the Derek he answered the door to on the second day of their homecoming was almost his old self.

"Wow!" said Sam. "You're back!"

"Sam. I can hear the double meaning in that. Okay. I know I've been an asshole for three years but you don't need to rub it in."

Sam grinned. "Okay asshole get in here and grab a beer, I need to toast your ass at Babe Raider III."

"Over my dead body!" Derek said pushing his way through the door and making for the kitchen. Sam smirked and followed him.

"So how's LA?" he asked.

"Expensive." Derek replied. "I think I might ditch it and return home."

"Yeah right." Sam said sceptically.

"Why not? Here I stand a chance of getting a job and a house I can afford."

"Yeah. Like you are still going to let Casey get the better of you. You still entertain hopes of making it big in LA."

Derek laughed. "Why do you think that?"

"Come on Derek. As soon as Case made it big, you wanted to match her success. I can see how you think."

Derek smiled to himself. If that was how Sam interpreted the situation, who was he to argue? He glanced across at Casey's ex-boyfriend.

"Casey can keep her success. "

Sam nodded. "Riiight. Come on. Show me that you haven't lost your Babe raider touch."

"How could you ever doubt me?" Derek replied.

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"How are you doing?" Nora asked Casey as they shared a glass of wine on the sofa. Derek was still at Sam's and the rest of the family were in bed – or at least in their bedrooms.

"I'm getting there." Casey replied. "The doctor gave me a talking to. Then Derek laid into me and between the two of them they made an impression."

Nora smiled. "I was so relieved when I knew that Derek was on his way to the hospital. I knew he would sort everything out."

"He's been great mom. He takes no diva crap. He won't even let me replace the prince for him. It's been nice seeing him again. I don't want this week to end."

"You can stay as long as you like, you know that."  
"Thanks Mom. But I have to go back or people will start suing me for breach of contract. It's okay. I know I have a job to do. It's just…I want Derek to come with me on the rest of the vacation. He's my ground. He keeps me on the straight and narrow. I'm not ready after so long to say goodbye to him. He hasn't got a job or a house or a car. He has the time to come with me, but he won't."

"Maybe you need to give him something."

"He won't take anything from me." Casey said.

"I don't mean financial, Casey. I mean something less tangible."

"You mean a purpose?"

Nora smiled. "Yes, sweetie, I think I do."

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Derek came home at about 2am. He felt like himself again. Sam had filled him in on what their friends had been up to as they played and Derek had, yet again, busted Sam on Babe Raider – despite the fact he hadn't been near the game in three years. They had laughed, eaten and drunk themselves stupid. And then, because she had insisted, Casey's driver had picked Derek up and brought him home. Derek made a mental note to thank the guy tomorrow – when his head had stopped spinning.

He made it into the bathroom before the need to vomit got too great and then heaved loudly into the toilet.

He was still feeling decidedly crap when the other bathroom door opened and a very weary Casey appeared in her dressing gown.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. Too much catching up with Sam." He groaned. Casey looked concerned.

Derek elaborated. "Too many beers."

She turned around and walked back into her room, then reappeared with a bottle of water.

"Thanks." He said, taking it from her.

"Did you have a good evening?" he asked after he had been loudly sick again.

Casey nodded, sitting on the bathroom floor beside him.

"Yes thank you. I spent time with mom. We shared a bottle of wine and a heart-to-heart. You're her best friend at the moment, you know."

"I have to say _my_ best friend at the moment is the toilet." Derek said. Casey laughed.

"Why did you drink so much?"

"Resumption of normality with Sam." Derek said, surprised that in his current state he could even say the phrase. Casey had the same thought.

"I bet that wasn't easy to say."

"Nah." He peered at her blearily. "Go on. Say it."

"Say what?"

"Your usual."

"You mean the, 'it serves you right, you moron' speech?"  
"Thank you Casey! Normal service is resumed at home too."  
Casey grinned.

Deciding that he had finished vomiting, Derek tidied himself up.

"Well Miss McDonald." He slurred. "I suggest you clear off back to bed. For some beauty sleep. You look like a hag."

"I'm _fine_ Derek."

"Suit yourself but I need a piss."

"Der-ek!"

Casey got up and made her way back to bed.


	9. PA

It was about two-thirds through the week and Derek had just got back from his third hockey session of the week with some of his old team mates. He had found the whole 'catching up' thing bizarre. These guys he had known for many years. They had ex-girlfriends in common. Their last significant conversations had been about how they were going to work their way through the female populations of their respective colleges – they had even calculated they would need to have something like ten girls a day in order to cover everyone over their college careers.

Now, however, just four years down the line these guys were all in serious relationships; one already a baby and was about to marry its mother, two were contemplating proposing to their long term girlfriends, hell, even Sam was in a four year relationship.

Only Derek was still single. There had been a lot of teasing about that.

"What's up D? Lost your touch?"

"I'm just picky."

"You're picky or they are?"

"At least I didn't pick the first girl who said 'yes' to me."

"So rumour has it you left college for a girl. What happened to her?"

"You shouldn't listen to rumours. I left college because I found a job."

"So what are the girls in LA like?"

"Expensive."

"Really? Since when did you start paying for them?"

"That's not what I meant." Derek said, backtracking. He glanced across at Sam…who took pity on him.

"Come on guys, we lose the rink in twenty, let's get on with it."

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Derek crept into the house quietly. They had hired the rink late into the evening so it was gone eleven when he came home. A note by the door said to leave the door on the single catch because Edwin and Lizzie were both out on dates. As he passed Marti's room her light was off, so he assumed she was asleep. Casey, however, was still up.

He knocked on her door and when she answered, let himself in.

"Jeez! What the hell happened?" He exclaimed when he saw the mess in her room.

Casey laughed. "You remember the organised teenager I was?"

"Yeah?"

"I grew out of it. This is some of the paperwork I've acquired over the past four years."

"Don't you have a secretary for that?"

Casey nodded. "But, not for this stuff. This is pre-talent show stuff. I need to sort it out. It's been bugging me for a while."

"You want a hand?" he offered. She looked up at him in surprise.

"Would that 'hand' include you chucking great handfuls of my papers into the air and shouting "Oh look it's snowing"?"

"No." He said smiling. As a teenager he probably would have considered that.

"Then, yes…_please!_ I don't know where to start."

"Why don't we start by putting everything in similar piles, then we can each take a pile and order it by date. Then tomorrow I'll go into London and pick up some filing boxes for you."

"Sounds like a plan."

Derek sat on the floor across from her and started sorting through the papers.

"Casey. There are bank statements here. You should really give those to your accountant."  
"They're from before."

"Yeah but aren't you supposed to keep all your statements for like seven years or something when you start filing tax returns?"

Casey looked thoughtful. "You're right, you are supposed to. Shit! I am so disorganised."

"Not disorganised. Just busy. And since when did you start swearing?"

"Bad habits I pick up from my backing group. Jaz swears like a merchant seaman and don't even get me started on the roadies." She looked at him.

"Since when did you get so organised?"

"Since I started living with a keener." He said grinning at her.

They continued the paperwork the following day and then Derek borrowed the car to go into the massive stationery shop in town. He came back with a car full of files and boxes, highlighter pens and sticky labels. They spent the afternoon putting the newly organised papers into files. When they had finished, Casey made a call to her secretary to get him to fed-ex the boxes to her accountant.

That night after dinner and when everyone else had gone to bed, Derek and Casey sat on the porch and talked. They reminisced about their old home, school and friends. And then when they had exhausted the topics, they just sat in companionable silence.

"I need a personal assistant." Casey said suddenly. "It's all very well having an accountant and a secretary and a manager, but I need someone closer to me, someone who can liaise with all of them."

"That sounds a good idea."

"I want someone I can trust."

"That sounds an even better idea." Someone who can watch what that manager is up to.

"It needs to be someone who can get people to do what I want them to do; someone who knows when to say no to my manager, and to me; someone who doesn't take shit from either of us."

"You mean someone who can handle a diva? Bring her down to size?" he grinned.

"Think you can do it?" she asked. Derek blinked.

"What?"

"Come on. You've always been the best person at calling time on my crap. You know how to handle me. And after the past twenty four hours I can see that you can be organised. Plus you need a job."

"Casey. I can't. We'd be under each other's feet all the time."

"No more than we were at school, and we coped. Come on D. You'd be living the rock'n'roll lifestyle. You could make sure I don't over do things, keep me on the straight and narrow. Think how pleased Mom and George would be, knowing that someone on my team knows how important my family is to me."

"Casey…" Derek said warningly.

"Derek. I need you." She said, fixing him with her blue eyes. "You've made me slow down this week, you've made me think about more than just my work. You've made me take time out and spend it with my family. I can't afford not to have you here anymore."

She had him at 'I need you'.

Derek sighed. "Okay." Casey squealed. He held up a hand.

"For a trial period of one year at the end of which either of us can walk away. And you pay me only the market rate, okay? No favours."

"No favours. I'll get my secretary to investigate benefits packages." She beamed at him, and despite the reluctant smile on his face, he was every bit as happy as she was about the whole deal.


	10. Vacation Part 2

Casey was bored. There are only so many times that you can swim up and down in a kidney-shaped pool; only so many days that you want to lie under a sun shade with a good book, and only so many trips to a the local market looking for souvenirs that you can make – on your own. Two weeks into the second half of her recuperation vacation and she was at a loss.

She hadn't seen Derek for two days and she hadn't spent any significant time with him since they left London; despite his bedroom being next to hers. (Yes, even in the villa). Her 'personal assistant' was being decidedly impersonal. She knew where he was and she had to approve of what he was doing since it was what she was employing him to do, but she still missed him.

Then, as she was sitting down to the carefully controlled lunch on the terrace of the villa, Derek appeared and sat down beside her.

"Hello Stranger." Casey said.

"Your organisation is a mess, Casey. Where's your mis-manager?"

"He said something about a meeting in New York."  
"Hmmm. I want to see him as soon as he gets back."

"What's up?"

"Something's rotten with this whole set-up. I've spent the last two weeks with your secretary and your accountant and I don't understand half of what your so-called manager is up to."  
"You aren't a manager."

"There is no need for some of the financial transactions he has set up. Even Pete, the accountant thinks the guy's on the take. And Ged your secretary has been telling me some stories that would blow your mind."

"I trust him, Derek."  
Derek looked at her. "Casey. I'm going to be my usual charming self about this and you aren't going to throw a hissy fit, okay?"

"Okay." She said tentatively.

"The fact that you trust him, is one of the reasons I don't. Your record on finding ass-holes is astounding."

"Are you including yourself in that?" she asked stiffly.

He grinned at her. "Definitely. The difference with me is I'm family. So when I screw you over it's the ketchup in your hair kind of mess, rather than major fraud."

His step-sister frowned. She might trust Milo, but if it was a contest between Milo and Derek, she knew which side she would pick.

"You think I should look into this?" she asked.

"Dad already is." Her step-brother said, admitting what he had been hiding from her for three weeks.

"George?"

"Yeah. I didn't like the way he excluded the family when you were ill. So I asked George to look into it."

"Maybe I should talk to my lawyer." She said reaching for her cell phone.

Derek put his hand on Casey's.

"Don't." He said softly. "One of the things I have found out already, is your lawyer is your manager's cousin."

Casey's eyes widened. "I didn't know that."

"Let me guess, when you were thinking of taking on your manager, he recommended a good lawyer?" Casey nodded. Derek swore. He picked up Casey's cell checked the time on his watch and then dialled home.

"Hi Dad it's me. Yeah. Do me a favour. If I get all Casey's contracts faxed to you will you get your US friend to check them for me? It seems the lawyer is definitely in on it."

Casey looked at the beautiful view from the terrace and sighed. Derek watched her as he spoke to his father. He had hoped that being her PA would mean he got to spend time with her, but so far that hadn't happened. She looked much better than she had three weeks ago, and he didn't want all this extra worry to affect her. He put a hand on hers and stroked her fingers as he ended the call.

"I wouldn't worry too much. Dad says you showed him all the contracts before you signed them. I doubt he missed much."

"You're right though. I know how to pick 'em."

"Casey what I said was unfair. You dated Sam, didn't you? And you had Tinker and Trevor as friends. Neither of them were ass-holes even if they were first class wimps. And what about Ralph?" They both chuckled as Derek mentioned Ralph. But thinking of Ralph and Sam had got Derek thinking.

They ate lunch together. He told her what he had been up to, and how he was getting on with her accountant and her secretary.

"They at least seem to know what they are talking about. I think I want to make some changes, if that's okay? You are staff-heavy in some areas and weak in others. You don't need two beauticians and two hairdressers on the payroll, _and_ a stylist. I think we should be able to cut those five down to two. It's the back office staff you are light on. Let's face it you are a business and we need to treat you as such. Do you trust me?"  
"Do I trust you? Are we talking about you running my life or guarding my diary?"

He smirked at her. Casey looked at him. "If you screwed up my business you would have George to answer to. I'd never trust you with my diary."

"I thought that's what a PA was for?"

"Not that sort of diary. Moron."

She straightened in her chair. "Did Ged talk to you about the benefits package?"

Derek looked uncomfortable. "I didn't like it Casey."

"We can increase it. It was just a starting point."

"No! I meant it was too much."  
"Derek. It's the market rate. Plus of course you have food and accommodation here and a company car."

"And these guys get that sort of money?"

"You deal with a lot of crap. I thought you realised that by now."  
He shook his head. "My father supported three children on less."

"Derek. If I'm going to pay someone a lot of money, I'd rather it was you."  
"I said I'd do the job didn't I?"

"Good. Just so long as it won't affect your socialist principles." She joked.

"Come the revolution, the power will be the peoples'." He retorted. They laughed.

"I gotta go." He said. Casey pulled a face. "Stay and talk. I'm bored."

"I can't. I've got to build Brand Casey." He bent to kiss her cheek. "I'll see if I can finish a bit earlier and we can watch a movie tonight in that awesome home cinema."

"That would be nice."

"Any ideas what I can do till then?"  
"Go talk to Ged. He said something about some magazine question and answer thing."

He turned to go.

"Derek?"

"Yup?"

"Thanks. For being here."

Derek went back to work with a renewed spirit and a grin the size of Ontario on his face.


	11. Q And A

Casey picked a spot in the garden over looking the side terrace where she could see her secretary, accountant and PA in heated talks. It appeared it was the subject rather than the personalities which was causing the temperature to rise because a couple of times she saw Derek thump the two other guys on the back, the way he did with Sam and Ralph. She opened her laptop and looked at the task Ged had set her.

She got asked for a lot of interviews. Casey gave a lot of interviews. Sometimes she also got smaller tasks, such as this question and answer session from a British newspaper supplement. She glanced down the questions and smiled. These were actually quite nice questions. None of them were specific to her. An example, of a previous subject's answers had been included.

Casey started to type.

**Question 1: When were you happiest?**

_Two weeks ago when I had my whole family back together again for the first time in more than three years._

**Question 2: What is your greatest fear?**

_Losing the people I love._

**Question 3: What is your earliest memory?**

_My mom's smiling face._

**Question 4: Which living person do you most admire?**

_Not one person, a type of person. People who care when no one else does. They often care about people/things which have nothing to do with them personally, yet they dedicate their lives to the cause._

**Question 5: What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?**

_How gullible I am._

**Question 6: What is the trait you most deplore in others?**

_Dishonesty._

**Question 7: What was your most embarrassing moment?**

_Falling down the stairs on my second day in a new high school and landing on someone's butt. It earned me the nickname, Klutzilla. The guy tried to sue me for blunt trauma to his ass._

**Question 8: What is your most treasured possession?**

_My health, because the only other things that truly matters to me are people, and you can't possess them._

**Question 9: Where would you like to live?**

_Ontario, Canada._

**Question 10: What would your super power be?**

_To make people happy._

**Question 11: What makes you unhappy?**

_Arguments. Unless they are with Derek (my step-brother). Arguments with Derek are great fun._

**Question 12: If you could bring back something extinct, what would you choose?**

_I can't say. It's too embarrassing. A Canadian children's television series that a girl of my age shouldn't be watching._

**Question 13: Who would play you in the film of my life?**

_No idea. It isn't a film I would want to watch, although Derek swears I look like Ashley Leggat._

**Question 14: What is your most unappealing habit?**

_I'm a bit of a drama queen. I lean too much on my family._

**Question 15: What is the worst thing anyone's said to you?**

"_Screw you Casey. If I never see you again it will be too soon." Enough said._

**Question 16: Cat or Dog?**

_Cat. Because my little sister was always dressing up as one when she was a kid._

**Question 17: What is your guiltiest pleasure?**

_Chocolate. _

**Question 18: What was the best kiss of your life?**

_He he. That would be telling. No seriously, I haven't had it yet. It will be the first kiss I share with the love of my life._

**Question 19: Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?**

_The best dinners of my life have been with my family and they normally end in food fights, but I would say if we were being cultured I would like to spend time with some of the Jazz greats and maybe people like Martin Luther King who would appreciate the chance to talk about music but add something extra to the discussions._

**Question 20: What is the worst job you have ever done?**

_My step-brothers' laundry. Sorry Guys!_

**Question 21: If you could edit your past, what would you change?**

_See question 15._

**Question 22: How do you relax?**

_Relax? What's that?_

_I dance, listen to music. And I clean._

**Question 23: What single thing would improve the quality of your life?**

_Honesty._

**Question 24: What do you consider your greatest achievement?**

_I haven't had it yet._

**Question 25: How would you like to be remembered?**

_With affection, if not love._

**Question 26: What is the most important lesson life has taught you?**

_Your dreams aren't more important than your family._

**Question 27: Where would you most like to be right now?**

_With the people I love. _

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"D. You want to review this?" Ged said, holding out a print-out for Derek?

"What is it?"

"Casey's answers for that Brit mag."

"Is there anything controversial in it?"

"No. But she mentions you."

Derek looked up and snatched the print-out from Ged.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Ged said, smiling.

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Derek sat on the terrace and read Casey's answers. He smiled at some, frowned in a confused manner at others. But it was obvious which questions affected him the most. When he had finished, he stuck his head around the door of the room he, Ged and Pete had been working in.

"Why don't you two knock off and go phone your wives or something, I think we're done tonight."

"You don't want to go through September's itinerary?" Ged asked.

"God no! We all need a break. I promised Casey I would watch a movie with her tonight."

"Thanks, Derek. See you in the morning."

"Bright and early, guys." Derek said.

He sprinted up the stairs to his room and grabbed a quick shower, still thinking about Casey's answers. They had never really talked about their fight, but he knew how it had affected him so it wasn't really a surprise that it had affected her. As he dressed in clean, but comfortable clothes, he promised himself that they would bury the past behind them and move on. She may only think of him as her brother but at least she cared about him.

He knocked on her bedroom door when he was dressed.

"Ready princess?" He asked, leaning against the door frame.

"You're earlier than I thought." She said.

"You ready or not?" he asked in a tone she recognised from school.

"Of course."

"Good. Because the first one downstairs gets to choose the flick." He said, sprinting for the stairs.

"Der-ek!" Casey said and chased after him.


	12. Secrets

Casey came down the stairs of her LA home one morning and did a double take.

"Ralph?" she said, seeing Derek's friend walking towards the suite of offices off to one side.

"Hi Case."

"Ralph? What are you doing in LA?"  
"Working."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Who for?"

"You."

Casey looked taken aback for a moment, and then Derek appeared.

"Hey Ralph. Dawn's looking for you, something about ballet pumps and missing spangles."

Ralph smacked himself in the head. "I knew I'd forgotten something. I'm on it." He said as he disappeared off down a corridor at a run.

Casey raised an eyebrow at Derek.

"Ralph's cousin runs a style and image consultancy in Canada. Ralph works for her. She's thinking of opening a branch office in LA, so I offered her the chance to work with you to give her some exposure. She's working for a significantly reduced fee as a thank you. The great thing is, she comes with a beautician and hairdresser team, so I've managed to get rid of Dorothy and co. who you will probably not be surprised to hear were also distant cousins of Milo."

That was a relief to Casey who had never really got on with the people who had been doing her hair and her make-up. She was puzzled over the Ralph in image consultancy idea though. She asked Derek about it.

"He has a specialty and apparently he is very good at it."

"Let me guess…shoes."

Derek grinned. "…and the winner is…the hot brunette in the tight top."

"Did you just call me 'hot'?"

"Honey. I have to. I'm all about brand Casey now. As far as I'm concerned you're the hottest chick on the planet."

He was pleased with himself for recovering so well.

Casey chuckled. "Ha! No, you can't have my phone number." She said and swept passed him into the kitchen. Derek followed her and pulled her over to one side, whispering quietly.

"You're going to see a few familiar faces. Remember Rachel?"

"Sam's sister?"

"Yeah. She works for a talent management agency in LA. It's small but pretty successful. I'm lining them up to take over handling your book."

"What about Milo's team?"

"His days are numbered."

"You're sure about this?"

"Positive."

"Okay."

"Okay?" He sounded surprised. "Just like that?"

"I trust you."

"Where did that come from?"

"The deepest abyss known to man. Live with it."

They chuckled.

"Fancy a movie later?" Derek asked.

"I can't. Jaz is coming over to rehearse."

"Jaz?"

"Keyboard player. Derek you really should start listening to my music."

He laughed. "Why? I never used to. Why should I start now?"

"It would be an education. You might learn something."

"ooo. Bad words."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Jaz was unbelievably tall, dark haired and with long spindly fingers. He thought the world of Casey and the feeling was mutual.

"Hey Babe!" He greeted her, planting a kiss on her cheek. "You're looking better."

"Thanks, Jaz. I'm feeling better. Come through to the office, I want you to meet someone."

Jaz raised an eyebrow and followed Casey's lead down the corridor. She entered the hive of activity that was 'brand Casey' and walked over to Derek's desk. He was on the phone.

"I'll call you back." He said, hanging up. "You wanted me?" he asked.

"In your dreams." She retorted, and then grinned. "Derek, this is Jaz. Jaz this is Derek."

Jaz smiled suddenly. "Derek. I've heard a lot about you."

"None of it good I'm sure." Her step-brother replied shaking Jaz's hand.

"All of it _very_ interesting though." Jaz teased. Derek smirked.

"I have a lot of interesting stuff on her too, you know."

"We should compare notes some time."

"Definitely."

And as she took Jaz round to the studio to rehearse, Casey knew that her favourite band member and her brother were going to be great friends.

She had neglected her voice for a while, so it took a couple of hours for them to warm up. In fact, she hadn't sung at all since Derek had been back on the scene, which was five weeks. She felt completely rusted up. So Jaz started as though she was a beginner, with voice exercises. After a while, things began to improve and he switched to a few of the songs they had used in the past to warm up with. The studio was for rehearsing in rather than recording, so instead of being soundproofed it was a little room opening onto the garden. As Casey sang and Jaz played, her voice filtered across the lawn to the open windows of Derek's office.

The once busy room stopped.

Ged looked up and grinned at Derek. "About bloody time! I've missed that." Peter agreed. "One of the perks of the job is the background music."

Derek walked to the French doors and opened them. "I've never really listened to her sing. Not since she's had the training. I mean, we performed together once, but her voice sounded nothing like this."

"Haven't you listened to any of her recordings?"

"No. We fell out big time over this whole business so they were a sore point with me. I never bought them."

"I know she's supposed to be a rock chick, but you should hear her sing that Mary Chapin Carpenter song. You know that one about the kid sister crawling into bed with their older sibling during the thunderstorm, and then how the kid feels when the older one leaves home. It brings a lump to your throat."

"I don't know the song."

"Come on. Let's go ask her. She does requests sometimes." Ged got up and before Derek could stop him was halfway across the lawn. He trailed after him and arrived in time to hear Jaz laugh and then start to play something on the piano. Derek stayed to listen.

It was the hardest thing he had ever had to listen to, because it sounded to him as though she was singing Marti's story. It cut into him because even though he knew Casey hadn't written the words, they were so accurate.

Casey tried to avoid watching Derek as she sang. She knew the words and she knew they would be hard for him to hear. When she did look up he was looking determinedly away. But, he stayed till the end. He glanced at her once and turned from the room.

As Derek walked back across the lawn, he flipped open his cell and sent Marti a text.

**Hey Smarts I miss u **

He listened to Casey singing a lot after that, and even got hold of her back catalogue from the stock cupboard.

It was hard to listen to her singing that song though.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

When Casey had finished singing and Ged had gone, she looked over at Jaz.

"Jaz. If I show you something, will you promise not to laugh at me?"

Jaz grinned. "Sometimes, you ask the impossible."

Casey pulled a face. "You and Derek have too much in common."

"Apart from the fact you're not in love with me."

She hissed. "Keep your freaking voice down!" Jaz smiled.

"He doesn't know?"

"No. Nor is he going to. You aren't allowed to fall in love with your brother."

Jaz sighed. "I'm not even going to waste my breath on the obvious answer to that. Casey I know you, okay. Don't make a big deal out of this. You should tell him."

"Over my dead body. Now do you want to know my secret or not?"

"You mean that wasn't it?" he chuckled.

"No. It wasn't." She crossed to her bag which she had slung over a chair and pulled out some note books. "While I was recuperating, I had some ideas for songs. I mean I know I've never written my own stuff before, but suddenly I couldn't stop writing. Anyway, I don't think I have the musical talent to put music to my words, but…would you take a look?"

Jaz nodded, still a little surprised. "Sure. Hand em over."

There were pages and pages of them.

"Which one are you happiest with?" he asked. Casey leaned over and flicked through of the books.

"This one."

Jaz was thoughtful as he read through Casey's lyrics. Then he put the book on the piano and started to pick at the notes. Eventually, a melody appeared and he started to sing her lyrics. Casey's eyes widened.

"That doesn't sound half bad."

"Casey. It's better than that. These are good, very good. Can you do me a copy of these and I'll work on them when I get home?"

"Sure."

"Where did the inspiration come from?" Jaz asked.

"I was bored. When I was younger, if I was bored I used to write poetry. So I started writing poetry again. Then I thought one of them might sound good as a song."

"Let's keep this between us until we've worked on it a bit, and then we should talk to the record company. Maybe there's a single in it."

Casey looked excited. "I'd love to sing something we've written. Something that wasn't written for me!"

"You won't be singing anything unless we practice. Come on."

"Slave driver!"

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Peter took Derek to one side later that evening when Ged had gone home.

"Derek, I need you to come with me."

"Oh?" Derek eyed Casey's accountant curiously.

"I want you to meet someone, but I don't think it is a good idea for anyone here to know that you have been to see them."  
"O-kay. Who is it?"

"My predecessor."

Derek stared at him. "What?"

"I've only been with Casey about six months, and I'll be honest with you, I was seriously considering handing in my notice before you came along. I'm honest, Derek and what Milo and his team were asking me to do was sailing very close to the wind." He took a deep breath. "It appears that my predecessor, Harvey _did_ resign, although it's made out around here that he was sacked. But after you started asking questions I did some digging around and I found Duncan. He wants to see you."

"Does he have something on Milo?"

"Let him tell you that."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

**Author's Note:**

'Only a Dream' – Mary Chapin Carpenter

I can recall the sound of the wind  
As it blew through the trees and the trees would bend  
I can recall the smell of the rain  
On a hot summer night  
Coming through the screen

I'd crawl in your bed when the lightning flashed  
And I'd still be there when the storm had passed  
Dead to the world, to the morning cast  
Its light all around your room

We lived on a street where the tall elm shade  
Was as green as the grass and as cool as a blade  
That you held in your teeth as we lay on our backs  
Staring up at the blue and the blue stared back

I used to believe we were just like those trees  
We'd grown just as tall and as proud as we pleased  
With our feet on the ground and our arms in the breeze  
Under a sheltering sky

Twirl me about, and twirl me around  
Let me grow dizzy and fall to the ground  
And when I look up at you looking down,  
Say it was only a dream

A big truck was parked in the drive one day  
They wrapped us in paper and moved us away  
Your room was no longer next door to mine  
And this kid sister thing was old by that time

But oh how our dreams went bump in the night  
And the voices downstairs getting into a fight  
And the next day a silence you could cut with a knife  
And feel like a blade at your throat

Twirl me about and twirl me around  
Let me grow dizzy and fall to the ground  
When I look up at you looking down  
Say it as only a dream

The day you left home you got an early start  
I watched your car back out in the dark  
I opened the door to your room down the hall  
I turned on the light  
And all that I saw  
Was a bed and a desk and couple of tacks  
No sign of someone who expects to be back  
It must have been one hell of a suitcase you packed

Twirl me about, twirl me around  
Let me grow dizzy and fall to the ground  
When I look up at you looking down  
Say it was only a dream


	13. Duncan

Casey went to bed that night on a high. The thought that her ramblings might have actually produced something that Jaz could use…wow! She couldn't wait to tell Derek. But Derek was nowhere to be seen.

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"Jeez, Pete. Where the hell are you taking me?" Derek asked as they drove through an area he knew was rough. He knew this because it wasn't so far from where he used to live.

"Duncan hasn't been able to work since he resigned. Milo made him a pariah."

Derek looked sceptical. "So this guy has a grudge?" He wasn't happy about this. Grudges did no one any good. He needed people who were thinking clearly.

"Trust me, D. You want to talk to this guy."

So Derek gave Pete the benefit of the doubt and closed his mouth.

It was late. He knew Casey would be in bed, and probably be wondering where he was. Just lately, they had got into a habit of finding each other at about 11pm and spending almost an hour chatting. It wasn't the regular contact he had wanted, but it was real and affectionate and he was reluctant to miss it.

But if being here rather than with Casey would get rid of Milo. No brainer.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The condo complex was tatty, rundown and evidently populated by people who had very little conscience. As they pulled up, a girl of about thirteen came over and propositioned them. Derek toyed with the idea of making her believe they were from Vice to try and make her go home, the thought that this girl was just year older than Marti making him sick to the pit of his stomach.

They climbed the stairs to one of the upper levels and Pete paused by a door on the left.

"I warn you. He's nervous."

"Why?"

"Milo runs his family like a cartel. He's Sicilian – what do you expect? He isn't the Mob but he likes to behave as though he is. And to be honest, he's made enough money out of Casey that he can afford to…sort things."  
Derek laughed. "You're joking, right?"

"I wish D."

They knocked and waited.

Eventually, the door opened a crack. "The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in". A voice said through the door.

"Meltdown expected the wheat is growing thin." Pete replied.

The door opened fully. Derek frowned.

"He's a 'Clash' fan." explained Pete. Derek chuckled and followed Pete into the apartment.

'Duncan' was small, weedy and twitchy. Derek would have laughed if Casey's well-being wasn't at stake. Pete stepped forward.

"Duncan. This is Derek Venturi. Casey's step-brother."

As if sensing his own importance was increased by his association with Casey, Duncan fluffed himself up.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

Pete rolled his eyes in frustration. Derek took out his billfold and removed a picture.

"This is my family." He said, showing the little weasel the photo. It was a casual picture of the whole McDonald-Venturi clan. A sixteen year old Derek was throttling Casey in it.

"Okay. I believe you."

Derek took a step towards him. "Now you need to convince me that I'm not wasting my time." He said, in a threatening manner.

Duncan gulped. He patted a pile of papers on the breakfast bar nearby.

"This is what you want. This is the evidence of what Milo has been up to."

"Which is?" Derek wasn't convinced yet.

"Fleecing Casey. She's his cash cow. She's worth millions to him."

"You're sure about that?" her step-brother asked.

Duncan became confident. "Oh yeah. As sure as I am of my own name."  
Pete scoffed. "Considering I know you asked me not to tell Derek your real name that is ridiculous."

"I'm sure." Duncan said, holding Derek's stare with his own.

"And what's your price?" Derek asked.

"I want my life back." Duncan said. "I want the freedom to move around. I don't want to live in a hovel."

Derek looked at the guy in front of him. He was scared shitless.

"I can't promise anything. But I'll do my best." He said. He stepped forward and slipped Duncan a card.

"That's my father's business card. He's a lawyer. You need anything. You call him."

"A Canadian lawyer." He sniffed.

Derek looked determined. "Canadian lawyer with American friends."

Duncan nodded. "Okay."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Pete and Derek spent the drive back to Casey's house in silence. Derek had a torch out and his nose in the files. Pete glanced across as he drove.

"Anything?"

Derek swore. "Oh yeah." You had better hope that the authorities get to Milo before I do."

He spent the night in his room reading through the evidence, and at 5am, he woke Casey.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Derek? Is everything okay?"

He took a deep breath. "Not really hun."

She sat up and rested a hand and a cheek on his shoulder.

"What's up?"

"Someone's come to me with evidence of what Milo's up to."

She froze. "Which is?"  
He shook his head. "None of it's good, Casey."  
"Give me the worst of it." She said.

He looked away. "There's no money in the kids' trust funds." He said bleakly.


	14. The Rider

"And this," the blond guy with three ear piercings said to the guy in the Armani suit. "…is Derek Venturi. Casey's manager."

The introduction still made Derek smile, his new 'position' still resting uneasily on his shoulders.

It had been two months since Milo had been arrested on suspicion of fraud. A team of investigators was still ploughing through Casey's finances. The good news was they reckoned they could recover most of the money. The bad news, it would take a while.

Derek had had his confrontation with Milo, but he had been necessarily controlled. There was no point in giving Milo's defence team something to hold over Casey in court. Besides, when he confronted Milo, he was flanked by two IRS investigators and an audit partner from one of the big four accountancy firms. Behind them were two uniformed cops. The six of them entered Milo's LA office without knocking.

"Venturi. You may well think you can get away with murder because of who your sister is, but that does not allow you to barge into my office without knocking.

Derek smirked and nodded to one of the LAPD officers. The cop stepped forward and handed Casey's manager a piece of paper; an arrest warrant.

"No. But this little piece of paper does." Derek said, wishing Casey could see this moment.

The officer began to read Milo the Miranda warning as he was cuffed. He twisted to look at Derek.

"You had better be sure of your evidence." He warned. "And your sister."

"Oh I am on both counts. That's _step-_sister, by the way."

In the meantime, Casey had decided she didn't trust anyone else and persuaded Derek to become her manager. Of course, with the level she had reached, it took a whole team of people to 'manage' her, but Derek was the front man.

And the reality as everyone around her knew was he had been managing Casey since the day he walked back into her life.

The ones really in 'the know' knew he had been managing Casey for far longer than that.

Derek shook hands with the Armani suit who turned out to be the Events Director for the O2 arena in London. It was the first time Casey had played England and she was incredibly nervous about it. In fact, when the prospect of playing London had been raised, Casey had thought they were talking about London, Ontario and questioned the wisdom of planning ten gigs because she didn't think there were enough people to attend. The look her step-brother gave her as he listened to her little speech was incredulous. "London, _England_, Case."

And now they were here. Derek was also nervous, he hadn't been on tour with her yet and he was still new to the whole hospitality side of things. He had picked the one person from the old management team who he trusted, Jake, and two members of staff from Rachel's company and they were trailing around with him. Derek introduced them to the Armani suit.

"So. How's your sister doing?" Kevin Hall, ED O2 asked after all the introductions were made and they had sat down in the cocktail bar of the plush London hotel which they were staying in.

Derek chuckled. "I'll let you know when I've peeled her down off the ceiling. She's very excited about all of this. And keen to get back on stage."

"Is she fully recovered?" Kevin tried to hide his own nervousness. Venues hate no-shows.

"Yeah. And full of energy. She tells me there is a surprise in store for me and another one for all her fans, but she won't tell me what it is." He sounded uneasy as he said it.

Derek had spent hours trying to get Casey to spill. He argued that she couldn't keep secrets from him, but she had laughed and winked. He found it incredibly frustrating and had pranked her everyday since, which had caused Casey to laugh in a way that made him want to prank her everyday for the rest of their lives.

Since he had succeeded in putting together a team of people around her that he trusted, Derek found he could step back a little from the day-to-day managing of Casey's professional life and concentrate more on future planning. He still made hundreds of decisions a day, but people came to him with the conclusions of meetings for approval rather than expecting him to sit in on them. It gave him time to breathe. More importantly, it gave him the opportunity to spend time with Casey to make sure his step-sister was eating, and taking things easy. She had put on a little weight since the hospital stay, and it really suited her.

They ran through the procedural aspects of the coming concerts and arranged for Derek to look over the venue later that day with Casey who was going to do a basic sound check with her band. Normally, she would just arrive and perform but as this concert was her return to performing, she had time to visit the stage beforehand.

Ninety minutes later, the meeting finished, Derek took the penthouse lift back up to Casey's hotel suite.

Jaz was at the piano and they were rehearsing when he entered quietly behind her. She was wearing jeans and a close-fitting long-sleeved T-shirt. The familiar ache hit Derek, and he pushed it away with practiced ease. He'd been pushing it away since they were fifteen.

"Just watch the tuning at the end of that last bar." Jaz said playing the melody with one hand and then resting on the note she was missing.

"I know. Sorry Jaz. The trouble is I think about it so much in the leading bars I end up screwing them up too."  
"You'll be fine. You always are. You get up there on stage and all the nerves will be gone. You'll see." He looked past her to Derek. "Have we got a time for the sound check?"

Derek nodded. "3pm. The car's coming at 2pm to give us time to get there." His cell started to ring and he walked out onto the balcony to take the call.

"Cool." Jaz said turning to Casey. "Have you thought about how we are going to practice that song?"

Casey smiled. "Yup." She leaned closer to her friend and told him in a low whisper.

Derek came back into the room from the balcony to find Jaz had gone and Casey leaning against the piano. She frowned.

"You know, I think you're the one that needs the vacation." She said, noticing the tired eyes. He crossed the room, leaned on the piano and rubbed at his eyes. "I'll be fine once tonight's over. As soon as I've seen that we can pull this off with the new team."

"There wouldn't be a concert at all if it wasn't for you." She said.

"Like I'm the one who's going to stand up there and screech my guts out." He laughed.

"I don't screech." She protested, but she was smiling.

"Ready for this?" He asked.

"As I'll ever be. I want to get out there and do it.

"Atta girl."

They straightened up and he went to move away, but Casey caught his hand.

"Uh Uh. No you don't."

He frowned. "What?"

"One of the things you learn about rock stars is we can turn into divas the night of a performance. We make strange demands."

"You've always been a diva, Spacey."

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"I have a demand."

He took out the little notebook he had started carrying around with him.

"Fire away." He said, without enthusiasm.

"I want a hug." He rolled his eyes at her. She continued. "A proper hug. None of your usual half-assed one arm squeezes."

"I've hugged you with two arms before."

"Yes. But I want 'a proper hug from Derek' added to my tour rider."

Derek sighed, a wry smile on his lips, He glanced over Casey's shoulder and then stepped towards her and pulled her into his arms. She let her own arms slide around his waist.

"I can't believe you did that." She complained as his arms tightened.

"Did what?"

"Checked to see if anyone was looking."

"I didn't."

"Yes Derek you did. I can't believe you are still worried about your reputation getting damage if you are seen with me."

"Sorry. Habit." He grinned at her. "Is the hug up to your required standards?"

"You need more practice." She said. "Thanks D."

"For what?"

"For giving our friendship another chance. For not giving up and walking away."

The moment should have been awkward because Derek hated it when she got sappy. Instead he put a hand to the side of her face.

"Where the hell would I go?" he asked seriously.


	15. O2

"Where would I go?" he asked.

Casey shrugged. "You'd find something. You always fall on your feet…" She paused. "…when you stop following a girl and start using your head."

He grinned. "I fell on my feet with this job."

"Because for once you followed your head and not a girl." said Casey as if the logic was obvious.

"Last time I looked you were a girl."

"But not one you'd follow." She retorted. "I'm not blonde."

"Surely the more important consideration is that fact you're my sister." he said quietly.

"Step-sister." Casey said. "And despite what you've been saying since we were fifteen, those four little letters and a hyphen does make a difference."

Derek stared at her. It wasn't so much that they were having this conversation. It was the fact that they were holding each other as they did so. He tightened his arms around her and they were quiet for a moment.

She pulled away.

"I need to eat and then get changed if we are going to the venue. Can you get room service, please." And she disappeared off into her room leaving him stunned.

Once through the door, Casey rested her back against it, mentally kicking herself for being so stupid. She had all but told Derek she didn't see a problem with them being together. She was officially insane.

Derek walked over to the phone, picked it up and ordered Casey a pasta salad and himself a burger and fries. Normally she would avoid the pasta, but on the days where she was performing, she liked to add pasta to her diet for energy later in the day. As he put the phone down, he thought about her words and the feel of her in his arms. It had only been a few months since they had come back into each other's lives and they hadn't spent a day apart from each other since. He wondered if he was being over optimistic in the way his mind kept interpreting her words.

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They left via the back entrance to the hotel to try and avoid the collection of photographers and fans which had gathered at the front of the building. However, some of the more savvy pressmen were waiting by the tiny rear door when they emerged. Derek put a protective arm around Casey as they were shepherded to the waiting car by their security team.

He was getting used to the crush every time they left or entered a building now. He was glad he was just the manager but Casey seemed to take it all in her stride, smiling broadly at the cameras and waving. He understood why she did it. Even the photographs shot like this in back alleys would find their way into newspapers and gossip mags. It was all publicity.

Jaz, who had joined them for the trip grinned at Derek's nervousness.

"Anyone would think you were performing. Your hands are shaking."  
Derek grimaced. "It feels like it."

The brunette beside him groaned. "Just watch him, Jaz. When he gets nervous he barfs."

"At hockey games."

"And Battle of the Bands." She smiled and resumed watching the streets of London whizzing past.

"I want to do a tour." She said suddenly.

"What the hell d'you call this?" Derek said.

"I meant a guided tour of London. We're passing so much history. Look there's Hyde Park. Did you know there is a place in that park called Speaker's Corner where people have been gathering on Sundays since 1872 to stand on boxes and exercise their right to free speech and debate."

Derek glanced across with amusement at Jaz.

"Ah! The Keener returns! Close your ears. This girl can bore the pants off you at forty paces."

"Der-ek! This is important social history."

"How the hell did you ever manage to jack in college, Case? How did you ever justify it in your own mind?"

She shrugged. "You told me taking part in the talent show was a bad idea. I make a point of doing the opposite of what you say."

Jaz laughed. "Isn't he supposed to be your manager?"

"Yeah, Casey?" Derek said.

She opened her mouth to reply, couldn't think of anything to say and closed it again.

All three of them laughed and unseen by Jaz, Casey squeezed Derek's hand on the seat.

She was still holding his hand forty five minutes later when they reached the massive dome that housed the O2 Arena.

"Wow!" She said as she saw the massive white structure. "It looked smaller in the Bond movie."

Jaz grinned. "Wait till you get inside. It's like a tardis."

Derek frowned. "You mean like Dr Who?"

"Yeah small on the outside, bigger on the inside."

"How do you know?" Casey asked.

"I've been here before." Jaz said. "In the audience."

"What's it like from the audience's position?" Casey asked.

"Awesome. A bit like sitting on top of the world. It's steep."

Derek looked at his watch. "We're a bit early. You want to see if you can go up and take a look for yourself."

Casey beamed at him. "Now _that_ is why you're my manager."

As they got out of the car in the VIP area, they were met by the ED again and one of his assistants – a guy with the unlikely handle of "Gripper". Derek had met some hard guys in LA. This guy would make mincemeat of them all.

"Derek! I wish all my artists were this prompt." Kevin turned to Casey and Derek made the introductions. Gripper said nothing.

"I was hoping to see the stage from the audience is that possible?" Casey asked.

Kevin nodded. "How about we take you into the Arena that way?" She grinned her approval and Kevin led the way.

Gripper dropped to Derek's side and matched his pace. Derek wondered if he was supposed to feel intimidated.

"What's she like?" Gripper asked in a heavy East End accent and Derek wondered if he had been an extra on 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'.

"Casey?" Derek answered. He shrugged.

"Looks like a ball-breaker to me." Gripper said. Derek choked.

"I have seen her take on a massive football player before now." he admitted. "The guy picked on her brother."

"Aren't you her brother?" Gripper looked surprised and Derek realised his street-cred was at risk.

"I meant her younger brother. I wasn't there." He lied. Jaz caught Derek's eye and chuckled to himself.

They passed though non-descript corridors and up blank stairwells and then finally out onto a wide enclosed terrace which wound around the arena about half-way up its height.

"This is one of the main entrance levels for the public." Kevin said and pointed down at the crowds milling outside a collection of restaurants and fast food shops below. Derek could see some massive looking security staff some distance away where a line of blue fencing would lead the audience to the entrance.

"They come up the escalators, across the terrace and then walk round to their particular entrance. Then they either climb up or down the rows of seating. Let's go up." They took the steps at one entrance and climbed, emerging out into the arena for the first time.

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It took Derek's breath away. They were right at the back, in the middle, and away in the distance he could see the massive stage. The arena lights were on but someone was playing with the lasers and lights for the show so there were constant flashes of colour. On the stage, the rest of Casey's group were starting their sound check, but they were too far away for them to see that they had an audience.

"What are the acoustics like?" Casey asked.

"You want to hear?" Gripper asked and reached for his radio. He spoke to the stage manager who was to one side of the band. They watched him shade his eyes and look out towards the back. Jaz motioned for Gripper to pass him the radio.

"Hi dude. Can you put my lead guitarist on? Thanks. Hey! Roach! Quit pissing around, Casey wants to hear what the acoustics are like so play something. I don't care what. Yeah. If you must." He handed the radio back to Gripper and they watched as Casey's lead guitarist spoke to the rest of the band and then the mixing desk guys at the front.

Derek had been to rock concerts a lot as a teenager and student. He had never sat in on a sound check or heard a band play when the venue was empty. He wasn't prepared for the wall of sound which hit him as 'Roach' started to play the intro to Muse's 'Supermassive Black Hole'.

"Fuck!" Derek exclaimed, covering his ears. Casey laughed.

"It's not so bad when there are people in here, they absorb the sound. The arena's designed with that in mind. Sounds good." She said turning to Gripper and Kevin. "I guess I'd better get down there and test the proper music." She smiled at Derek. "You wanna stay here and listen?"

He nodded. "I'll be down in a bit."

Gripper led Casey and Jaz down to the stage area, and before long he saw Jaz hi-fiving the rest of the band, and Casey giving them all bear hugs.

Derek was still nervous, but he'd seen a strange calm descend over Casey since she had walked in the building and now she was oozing confidence.

"I gather this is your first concert." Kevin said, taking a seat beside Derek, who nodded.

"I wouldn't worry too much. You know there's a grapevine between people in my position at most of the venues in the world. We swap notes on artists, things to be cautious about, who's doing what drugs, that sort of thing. The buzz on Casey…she's great, the band's great – really professional. The only negative things anyone ever said to me? Her old manager was an arsehole."

"Great. I guess I'd better be on my best behaviour."

Kevin laughed. "What I meant was, you'd have to go a long way to be a worse manager than Milo."

Derek smiled. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

Casey was pacing the stage, looking for hazards and checking the layout. Dance was a big part of her act. That done, she walked back to the centre picked up the microphone head set and glanced at the sound engineer. He gave her the thumbs up. She couldn't see Derek at the back, but she decided to get his attention.

"Der-ek." She sing-songed through the mic. "Oh Der-ek."

He stopped mid-conversation with Kevin and glanced at the stage. Casey launched into an _a cappella_ version of "Nah Nah Nah".

Kevin smiled. "Is that new? I don't recognise that one."

Derek shook his head. "No. That was a song I wrote for a lame band I had in high school. Casey was the singer." He said it wryly but actually he had to admit, hearing her sing _his_ song in a major concert venue was an ego trip – even if it was only a joke.

Then she pulled the professional side of her out and became serious about rehearsing.

Kevin led him down to the floor of the arena and left him close to the stage.

Watching Casey perform on the stage was a surreal experience. Over the past few months, he had made decisions about 'brand Casey'. He had talked concert venues, rigging, logistics, back-stage requirements. He had used numbers to refer to audience figures, revenue and so on. It was only now that it hit home to him that Casey was a successful singer.

And that he really was leading the rock and roll life.


	16. Nah Nah

If he was blown away by the venue during the cold light of day when it was empty, it was nothing compared to the venue when it was dark, full and set.

He had been back to the hotel to change and was now in a dark suit with a dark shirt – the aim being to hide in the wings of the stage as close as he could get without being seen. Casey was in her dressing room, changing into the first of six outfits she would wear during the course of her set and the warm-up band was on stage performing.

He had checked everything he possibly could. Now it was down to making sure people did their jobs properly.

He made his way to Casey's room and knocked on the door.

"You've got ten minutes." He called through the door, and then stepped back as she opened it.

"Come in." she said and pulled him through the door. Once inside he could do nothing but stare at her.

"Fucking hell, Casey! Does Nora know you wear outfits like that?"

Casey glanced down at her midnight blue cat suit, with its massive chunky belt.

"What's wrong with it?"

"It leaves nothing to the imagination." He said swallowing hard.

"Good. That's the idea." She looked at him amused. "What's up D? I thought you liked tight outfits on singers."  
His voice squeaked. "You don't count."

"Thanks." She said sarcastically. "Don't you like it?"

He looked away. "Too much. You trying to give me a coronary?" He frowned, looking back at her. "Are you wearing underwear?"

She winked at him and then nodded to a vase in the corner where there was a single perfect white rose. "Thank you. It's lovely."

"I figured everyone else would send you red roses. I wanted to be different."

"I appreciate it. Nervous?"

"Shitting bricks."

"EW! Der-ek!" she wrinkled her nose. He smirked at her.

"What about you?"

"A bit. I'll be fine on stage."

"I remember how you used to get so nervous before a dance recital that you used to drive Lizzie up the wall. I bet she's glad you've moved on from that."

Casey looked uncomfortable. He chuckled. "Don't tell me?"

She nodded. "I've just spent the last half hour on the phone to her. She tells me she blanks whole weeks out from her social life to coincide with my tours, just so that she can field my calls."

Her step-brother laughed. "You should find someone else to help."  
"Like you?"

"Hell no. I'm too busy before a show."

She pouted. He laughed, and despite his unease at her costume, he put an arm around her waist.

"You do what you feel comfortable with."

She looked up at him. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."

"You would. And I would be kicking back with a cold one and busting Sam's ass at Babe Raider."

"Miss it?"

The adrenaline caused by the evening kicked in and his mouth opened without permission and spoke. "I'd miss you more."

He let go of her. "Shit! I spout some crap sometimes."

Casey turned to the dressing room mirror and touched up her already perfect makeup, and he knew from the set of her shoulders that he'd hurt her. The room suddenly filled with the people whose job it was to make her look perfect and he was pushed to the sidelines.

It wasn't until they were in the wings waiting to go on that he was close to her again – very close. There wasn't much space for everyone, so he took advantage of the situation and bent his lips to her ear.

"I'd rather be here with you than anywhere else." He murmured and kissed her hair. Casey closed her eyes and leaned into him.

"This one's for you, Derek." She said as they announced her and she stepped out onto the stage.

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Derek was listening to the running commentary on his headset. It was a confusing mix of acronyms and industry terms, most of which were still new to him. He took comfort from the fact that everyone seemed calm, ordered and in control. It wasn't until halfway through the set that he was forced to pay attention to what was happening on the stage.

The lights dimmed and Casey, this time in her third outfit, a tiny mini-skirt and black halter-neck top, stepped forward to the front of the stage.

"Are you having FUN?!" she shouted at the crowd, who went wild.

"I can't hear you!" she said next. They shouted back a yes! And Casey laughed.

"I can't believe I'm here in London. London ENGLAND! It's a bit bigger than _my_ London." She glanced over towards the wings.

"You know the first time I sang with a band was in high school. I took part in a battle of the bands competition with my step-brother, Derek. He had this group called 'D-Rock' and getting me to sing in the group took a lawyer and a ten page contract." She laughed. "He's the bane of my life. He's also my Manager so I guess I'm stuck with him." The crowd laughed. Derek was ignoring his head set now and concentrating on Casey.

"Anyway, we sang this song that Derek had written." She looked back at Jaz. "I sort of hope he's going to forgive me for this…ALRIGHT GUYS, HIT IT!"

And Jaz and the band launched into a song.

Derek recognised it. Hell! He wrote it, but Jaz had done something to it. It wasn't girly or soft rock, but it wasn't lame high school crap either. It was good. Really good.

Casey was singing her heart out on stage when a hand touched him on the arm. Sam was standing beside Derek. The latter's eyes widened. Sam grinned and then Ralph appeared too.

"I'll fucking kill her." Derek mouthed, but he was laughing.

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Derek slapped his two friends on the back. "My manipulative step-sister strikes again." He said. Sam grinned.

"She said something about you needing your own fifteen minutes of fame. I'll tell you though I'm glad it was her out there tonight and not us."

"Me too." Derek said. "How long are you over for?"

"Just the weekend, I got work next week. Casey said it was important for us to be here for the debut of her new double AA single."

"Her what?"

"Apparently, if you agree to it, our song is going to be the 'reverse' of her new single."

"Keep her away from me." Derek said with gritted teeth. "I'm contemplating something lethal."

Sam laughed.

"Hey Sam!" Casey greeted her ex-boyfriend joyfully as she entered her dressing roomm. "What'd'ya think?"

"Spectacular, Case. Your songwriter has exceptional talent to turn something so crap into a decent song."

"What do you mean _crap_?" Derek protested, jokingly. The old friends laughed. Casey looked tentatively at Derek.

"Do you forgive me?" she asked.

"No." he said, and then relenting, pulled her into his arms for a 'brotherly' hug.

"Can I use it?" she said. "I'll split the royalties with you."

"Casey. I've seen how much musicians make from royalties, I'm your manager remember. Do you want me to give you the dollar now?"


	17. Home Again

Derek made his way back from the washroom. The rest of the plane was asleep; or rather the part that he could see. There were only six seats in their section of First Class and most of them were business travellers. The rest of Casey's entourage were in Business, slightly further back and beyond a curtain and a galley.

The tour was finally over. Casey had caught up on all the missed dates, and when she got back to LA she was going back into the studio to work on a new album that she and Jaz had been cooking up between them. She had told Derek she was incredibly excited about it.

For now, though Casey was on her way home to Canada.

He noticed she was still awake, despite her seat being fully reclined into a bed. He perched beside her.

"You need to rest." He said softly.

"So do you." She whispered back.

"Tell that to my bladder." He sighed.

"I'm too excited about seeing everyone again to rest."

He grinned. "You'll have fun."

Casey moved closer. "Do you have to go to New York?"

"You want me to convince the record company about the album don't you?" he asked, amused that she wanted him to go home with her.

"Yeah, but you need a break too." _Ah! The mother figure emerges._

He scoffed. "I'm fine."

"And Marti is going to miss you." She said, thinking of reasons to persuade him to join her.

"She'll have you there though."

"I'll be a poor substitute. She's only just got you back again. Me, she never lost." She stopped. "_We've_ only just got you back again." She corrected.

"You sound like you might actually miss me. What happened to 'Derek, the bane of my existence'? Don't you and I spend enough time together? We haven't been apart in six months."

She pouted. "Are you getting sick of me?"

"I've always been sick of you." He smirked, almost old-school Derek but not quite.

She pulled a face. "Thanks."

He glanced around the first class part of the cabin, but everyone was still asleep. He slipped an arm around her and she looked up at him in surprise.

"Just another one of those lame one-arm hugs you don't like." He murmured.

"Idiot." She snorted and moved further into his arms, forcing him to put his other arm around her.

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Nora and Casey were sharing another bottle of wine. It wasn't as idyllic at home this time, because Derek was in New York talking to her record company, but it was pretty good all the same.

"We caught the Berlin concert on MTV." Nora said. "Interesting cat suit." Casey caught her mother's eye.

"Hmm. Derek said you'd have something to say about that."

"I expect Derek had something to say about it too." They chuckled to each other.

"He turned green and wouldn't look at me." Casey said with affection. She was quiet for a moment.

"Not the same without him here, is it?" Her mom asked.

"He's working hard. You should stop worrying about me and start worrying about him."

"We worry about both of you."

"We keep each other on the straight and narrow."

"Good." Nora sipped her wine. "I can't believe you two are managing to co-operate like this. I mean…" her voice trailed off.

"Violates a few laws of nature doesn't it?" Casey said, amused.

"And I can't believe you are releasing that 'Nah Nah' song. It sounded really good." Nora's tone was one of surprise.

"It's Derek's nest egg. He shares full credit for it with me and Jaz. He says there won't be royalties – he's wrong." She raised her glass to her lips and drank a mouthful. "While I'm on the subject. I've put the money back in the trust accounts that Milo took out. Pete's helped me work out what interest would have accrued. Everything is back the way it should be." She paused. "I've opened one for Derek too."

"Casey. You promised him."

"I know Mom. But he's done so much for me. Anyway, I've buried it so that he won't find out about it until he stops being my Manager. I figure at some point we'll have a massive row and he'll stomp off again. I just don't want him living in squalor like before."

"You could just try not fighting." Nora thought about what she had just said. "It's asking the impossible, of course. I just don't see what the problem is with you two."

Casey met her Mom's smile with one of her own. "Mom, Derek and I will always fight. We do it _because_ we care about each other."

She knew that now.

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"Are you putting your feet up?" Derek asked her later that night during one of their regular late night 'business' calls. He always managed to find important questions to ask her, but the reality was he phoned her because he wanted to hear her voice, not talk business.

"Funny I was just going to ask you the same question." Casey said, lying back on her bed in the family home. "Marti's missing you, D. We all miss you."  
He sniggered. "Sorry, Case. Did you just say _you_ were missing _me_?"

Casey snorted. "You have such an ego. You're more of a diva than I am."  
"Admit it Princess. You miss me."

"Yeah right." She said sarcastically.

"Admit it. You want me there. This isn't just about Marti." He said it jokingly.

There was quiet on the phone line for a moment.

"No it isn't." Casey said, and he caught the seriousness in her voice.

Later after he had hung up he stood at the window of his hotel room and sipped thoughtfully at a beer. Something had changed between them since he had walked back into her life. He wasn't sure what it was, or whether it would last, but he wasn't about to walk away from it.

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Casey was folding the laundry. Nora took it out of the tumble dryer and Casey folded it into piles.

"That's what I like to see; Women hard at work." A voice said from the door. Nora squealed and ran at her step-son.

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming?!"

Derek pressed a kiss against his step-mom's temple. "Now's where's the surprise in that?" he asked.

"That would have given us time to prepare and Derek isn't happy unless he's putting people out." Casey said. Derek smirked at her.

"Annoying you." He said. "Just a bonus."

Nora grimaced. "Come on, you two, be nice."

"This is me being nice." Said Derek and then winced as Marti charged into the room and swooped on him.

"Smerek!"

"Smarti!"

"You came home after all."

"Yes I guess I did."

"How come?"

"I played them Casey's latest track and they caved straight away. They want it out on the street as soon as she can lay it down. I thought it was going to take days of negotiation but they are so keen they are clearing the studios for next week."

Casey looked up, happy. "Really?"

"Yup. I'm on my way back to LA to sort it all out, but seeing as I was getting some serious grief from Casey about letting Marti down, I thought I would stop off here first for a couple of days."

Derek caught Casey's eye over the top of Marti's head, and Casey realised it was her admission that she was missing him that had prompted the return and not just Marti's need.


	18. Powder Rooms And Zippers

Ralph and his cousin were arguing by a rack of clothes.

"Ralphie. I don't _care_ if you've found the perfect pair of plaid pumps, Casey is not wearing plaid to the MTV awards."

Casey smiled. "Ralph, I think she's right. Plaid has just never suited me."

Dawn grinned. "What I do have are some fantastic little numbers for you to look at though. You are _such_ hot news that most of the fashion houses have sent something over."

Casey giggled like a school girl. "Show me show me."

They were in her LA home, the trip back to London far behind them. Most of the album was in the bag, and things were moving on apace. The latest project, for which Dawn, Ralph and the team were helping, was Casey's attendance at the MTV music awards.

Dawn took her through the collection of designer dresses. Casey marvelled at the labels. "Dior, Westwood, Versace, McCartney… Wow!" She put her head close to Dawn's and whispered, "Don't tell Ralph but the plaid pumps would go well with the Westwood." Dawn laughed.

"But like you said, plaid has never really suited you." She flicked absent-mindedly through the outfits. "Who are you going with?" she asked.

"Going with?" Casey was eyeing up a red number.

"Your date? Who are you taking?"  
Casey shrugged. "I haven't really thought of it. Do I need to take someone?"  
Dawn frowned. "Duh. Yeah!" She pulled out a green dress and held it up to Casey.

"Ew! Green is _so_ not your colour. Aren't you dating anyone?"

"Haven't had time."

"Well find time. You'll look weird if you go on your own."  
Casey pulled out the red dress. "I want this one." She held it up to herself. "And I'll take Derek."

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"No!" Derek stated, covering the mouth piece of the phone.

"Why not?" Casey asked, confused.

"Because I am not the image you are trying to portray."

"Dawn thinks you are. She thinks me turning up to the awards says 'I'm comfortable with taking my _hot_ brother to an award ceremony.'"

"Your _what?_" he smirked as he hung up. "Did you just call me hot?"

"I was quoting Dawn."

He smirked. Then his face straightened. "Who else can you take? What about Jaz?"

"His wife would never forgive me. She loves these events. And don't even contemplate me taking anyone else. I love my group to pieces but I am not being seen in public on the arm of someone known as 'Roach' or 'Louse'."

Derek chuckled. "I can sort of see that. What about your boyfriend?" he was fishing. He'd seen no evidence of Casey dating since he'd been her manager.

"Stop fishing Derek. There is no one and you know that."

"You could fly solo."

"Derek. You are my employee. If I order you to take me to the freaking award ceremony you are contractually obliged to do so." She picked at the paper clips on his desk. "You might get to see Madonna french Britney again."

"Maybe she'll pick you this year."

"I am not having that woman's tongue down my throat!" Casey snapped back.

Derek sat up. "Now that would be a sight. Hmmm. Maybe I will come after all."  
"You're disgusting, Venturi."

"Yeah. But you still love me."

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"Stop fidgeting, Derek."

"I'm not fidgeting."  
"You are. You've pulled at that collar five times since we got in this elevator."

"It's tight."

"It's not. It's half an inch bigger than your usual collar size." She turned him round and pointed at the mirror on the back wall. "You look fine. I'm sort of worried that you'll ditch me and go home with a country singer or something."

Derek grinned. "I make a point of going home with the girl I take. Especially when I live with her."  
Casey snorted. "Yeah but you'll get as many numbers as you can."

The doors opened and Derek held out his arm for her.

"Not tonight, honey."

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The artists in the music business were a mixed bunch, Derek decided. Some were bright, intelligent and you could hold a conversation with them. The people on the table they had been assigned…brain dead. (Although whether it was genetic or chemical was a moot point). He got up and made his way to the 'facilities' again.

They were, yet again at Paramount studios, so the up market washrooms were shipped in porta-cabins with carpet on the floor and faux-wood doors. It didn't stop the cloud of white powder that descended when he accidentally knocked the lid down on the toilet.

"Freaking dopeheads! He swore, trying not to touch the seat.

"You're in a bad mood." Casey noted as he returned to their table. "Don't ask." He muttered back.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have forced you to come." She whispered, sadly. He took her hand under the table. "I'm not in a bad mood because of you, princess."  
"Sure?"

He squeezed the hand. "Positive."

He had to watch himself around Casey. Showing brotherly affection at home was one thing, doing so on camera was impossible. Not that there was anything mind-blowing about the hand he wanted to put on the small of her back or the urge to slide an arm around her shoulders and brush her skin. But he couldn't do it. It would look too possessive.

"What is it with you, tonight?" Casey asked. "You're very…distant."

Derek sighed. "We're surrounded by cameras, Casey. I'm very aware of everything I say and do." He said it through gritted teeth.

"Relax Derek. It doesn't matter."

"I don't want the headlines tomorrow to be 'Casey spotted with new beau. – who is mysterious man?'"

Casey laughed. "Why? Worried I'll kill your rep?"

He scowled at her. "No. I'm worried it will kill yours."

"You'd just issue a statement reminding everyone that you are my manager."

"Casey. Do you know how many singers end up sleeping with their manager? We'd be on the front page of Heat magazine before you could say 'incestuous relations'."

She picked up her champagne glass and muttered. "That statement is factually inaccurate."

He looked confused. "Which statement?"

"Incestuous relations."

"Will you keep your voice down?"

"Fine. But it isn't. Or rather it wouldn't be."

Derek picked up his own champagne glass. "You think I don't know that?" he said not looking at her. "That's not the point. I don't want the topic discussed on the front of a tabloid or a magazine."

She straightened. "Me either."

"Good. So excuse me if I look less than pleased to be sitting next to you."

"You always look less than pleased to sit next to me."

"Fair point. I meant more so than normal."

She elbowed him and they both chuckled.

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"Thanks for waiting up Ellen. It's really late, so we can help ourselves if we need anything." Casey said to her housekeeper. The rest of the household was quiet.

"I'm starving." Derek said, his tie hanging loose and the top two buttons of his shirt undone.

"You should have eaten more at the dinner." Casey admonished, reaching up to pull out the pins holding up her elaborate hair do. She ran her fingers through her hair to loosen the hairspray that was sticking it together.

"They always serve such weird foods at those events. All I want is a chicken and mayo sandwich." He ignored the despairing look he was getting from Casey.

"You look like a scarecrow." He added helpfully. Her eyes flicked to the ceiling and down again before she walked off in the direction of the stairs without commenting.

Ten minutes later, fed, he followed her up the stairs and knocked on her door. She opened it and he followed her in. She was still wearing the evening dress and her hair, now brushed was bouncing around her shoulders.

"It looks better down." He commented, taking off his jacket and tossing it onto the chair in the corner.

"You should hang that up. You'll spoil the cut of it."

"You should take that dress off before you spoil that." He said, wanting to nag her about something. Casey stared at him. He replayed his own words in his head.

"And put something else on." He amended, uneasily.

She grinned at him. "Will you help me with the zipper?" she said, and he almost heard a tease to her voice.

He stood behind her and used the side of one hand to sweep the waves of her hair away from the skin of her shoulders and out of the way of the zip. His knuckles brushed the ridge of her spine as his fingers pulled the metal key down. At first it was accidental but when he felt her tense at his touch he made sure his knuckles followed every contour of her spine down to the small of her back.

Unseen by Derek, Casey closed her eyes and concentrated on his touch. It lasted seconds but it felt like a lifetime.

Derek saw the red lace of her bra and panties through the new gap in her dress and he itched to slide his fingers under the loosened dress and round to the smoothness of her stomach.

But he didn't.

"I'll turn around." He said, and did exactly that. Casey woke herself up from the place her thoughts had retreated to and stepped out of the dress, still wearing her heels.

He didn't mean to. He _honestly_ didn't mean to. But when Derek turned away to give her chance to change, he turned towards the window. The external shutters were closed, and the glass of the windows was given a black backdrop and turned into a vague mirror.

So when Casey stepped out of her dress, leaving her in her lace and heels, Derek saw everything. He looked. Then he closed his eyes. _If I die now, I die happy._

Fortunately for Casey, she then walked into her dressing room to find a nightshirt.

Derek, trying to pull himself together, kicked off his shoes, and flopped dramatically onto her bed.


	19. A Guilty Conscience

"Please tell me that's not the hockey." She said removing her earrings as she left the dressing room.

"I'm just channel hopping." He lied.

"Good. Because if you want to watch sport you'll have to go to your own room. You probably ought to anyway. It's 3am, D."

"I just ate. You wouldn't want me to get indigestion by going to bed before my food settled would you?"

She put the earrings away and turned to face him, her white cotton nightshirt moving with her body. He frowned.

"What are you wearing?"  
"A night shirt."

He sat up. "A night shirt that looks suspiciously like my old 'granddad' shirt. No wonder I couldn't find it."

"Yes. I pinched it about four years ago and you've only just noticed, so you aren't getting it back."

He shook his head, smiling as he did so. "All your money and you are still wearing one of my old shirts to bed."

"I like it."

"Fine. Keep it." He said trying not to show how much he liked the idea of her sleeping in his clothes by lying back on the bed and flicking between the channels on her bedroom TV. Casey sat beside him on the edge of the bed.

"You have appalling taste in television viewing."

"Sue me." He said putting his hands behind his head.

"Comfortable?" she asked.

"Yes thank you." He smirked at her.

"Remind me why we are friends again."

"Please tell me you didn't use the F word."

She crawled further onto the bed and slid under the covers beside him.

"I thought 'feelings' was the F word." She commented, smiling as his arm snaked around her shoulders and pulled her close to him.

"I'm just going to ban the letter 'F'. It's completely useless. Too many girlie things. I mean, shit, even 'Feminine' begins with 'F'."

"So does 'fuck' Derek. Which just goes to show you are talking complete crap again."

He punched the air silently and then grinned broadly at her.

"What?" she looked confused.

"I just bet myself I couldn't get you to say the word 'fuck' in the next five minutes. Looks like I won."

"Moron."

He turned to smirk at her, but the sudden proximity of her face made him pull back. Casey noticed.

"Why do you do that?" she asked, resting her head on his shirt.

"Why do I do what?"

"Jump every time my face gets too close."

"Cause you scare the shit out of me."

"Be serious Derek."  
He turned to her again. "I am."

"Oh." She thought about it for a moment. "Surely, after all this time, we can cope with a certain degree of intimacy."

He choked on that. "You sneak up on me. Invade my personal space."

She chuckled. "I don't actually recall putting myself into _this_ position." She glanced pointedly at the arm holding her tightly to him.

"You don't exactly resist when I do it either." There was silence between then for a while.

"It's late." Casey said. "I need to go to sleep." Derek froze, recognising a brush off.

But Casey smiled at him. "It's OK. I'm just tired."

Derek nodded and climbed off the bed.

When Derek had gone and Casey had brushed her teeth and climbed back into bed, she turned off the light. She had just started to doze off when a cold draught blew round her back and then she felt the bed depress. She sat up again and switched on the light.

"Der-ek! What are you doing in my bed?"

"Sleepwalking. Now shut up and switch the light off. You should never wake a sleep walker."

"D…"

"Please." He said, quietly.

Casey switched off the light again and lay back down. She smiled to herself as his arm wound around her and she felt his breath in her hair.

Neither of them said a word, but Casey wove her fingers into the hand resting on her hip and rubbed its back with a thumb. Derek tightened his arm, pulling her closer to him.

Sleep evaded them both now.

"I'm sure there must be laws against this." Casey said quietly in the dark.

"Laws against what? We aren't doing anything." Derek chuckled in her ear.

"I think they call it fraternisation with the enemy." She sighed. "Don't people get shot for that?"

"You mean 'firing squad at dawn'?" he asked softly. "In view of the fact you're my employer, should I be worried?"

Casey giggled. "Nah. I'd never fire my brother." She said, without thinking.

Derek's arms loosened. Casey turned in surprise.

"What?"

"The elephant just woke up. The huge one in the corner."

"You lost me."

"You called me your brother. It's rather hard to deal with that term when you're lying in my arms in bed."

Casey sighed, turning. "I'm sorry. It was automatic."  
"Yeah. That's what I was afraid of." He said, pulling away.

"Derek. Don't be ridiculous. I meant the term was automatic, in the same way I automatically call you 'jerk'. A sort of habit."

She heard him chuckle in the dark.

"So I'm a habit now."

"Doesn't your ego ever take a break?" she said.

"It tried, but it missed me." he joked. A moment later, he became serious. "Do you think you can avoid the 'b' word, Casey?"

"I'll try."

"Good. Because I want to hold you again, and I can't do that if my dad's face keeps swimming in front of my eyes every time you call me brother."

Casey felt herself blushing at hearing him say he wanted to hold her.

"I want to be held." She said in a small voice.

"Good. Come here." He said and she felt his arms wrap around her again.


	20. Lassie Come Home

"Derek." Casey called in his ear. "Derek. Wake up! The alarm has gone off."

He groaned and she felt his arm catch her waist again.

"Sometimes, McDonald I almost think you are more hassle than you are worth." He said sleepily.

"Really?" she replied, unimpressed.

He opened his eyes and grinned at the expression on her face. "Almost."

"If you don't like having to get up at 5am to go back to your own room, then don't spend the night in my room in the first place."

He planted a kiss on her nose. "And miss this 'first thing in the morning' fight? The one with your hair looking like a bird's nest and your breath smelling like a rabid dog."

"You don't smell too sweet either, wise guy, and you need a shave."

Derek sat up and swung his legs out of bed.

"I'll see you at breakfast, Lassie." He said, bending to kiss her on the cheek and started across the room to the door.

"Have a shave! Big foot." She called after him. Then Casey grinned and rolled over onto Derek's side of the bed, pulling the comforter around her.

The routine had been the same every day for a week now. Derek went to his own room and dressed for bed, then made his way to Casey's bed. There he slept with her (chastely) in his arms for the night until the alarm clock (and Casey) woke him at 5am. He would get out of her bed, cross to his room and go back to sleep, so that the bed looked slept in.

It was bizarre. It was vaguely silly. It characterised every thing about them.

Derek pecked her on the cheek, kissed the back of her neck, planted kisses in her hair. But, he had never kissed her on the mouth and they had never acknowledged that this weird arrangement was a step closer to something earth-shattering, or maybe just earth-moving.

He came down to breakfast that morning dressed as though he worked in the city. Casey frowned.

"What time are you leaving?" she asked.

"As soon as I've eaten. The flight's at eleven."

"Have you packed?"

"Yeah. I did it last night before bed." He said, which Casey already knew, because she had sat on his bed in her pyjamas and watched him. The conversation at breakfast was always for the benefit of Casey's housekeeper and immediate staff. Letting the staff know what was(n't) going on between them was akin to telling a tabloid.

Casey sipped her coffee. "When are you back?"

"Friday night." He said, tucking into an enormous plate of cooked food. He didn't look at her, because last night when they had discussed this, she had done that wobbly lip thing that meant tears were imminent.

"Okay. Have a good trip." She said quietly.

And then later, in his room as she's helping him search for his passport:

"It's five days, Casey. That's all."

"I know. It's just…you're getting to be a habit." She said, trying to make her confession into a joke.

He looked towards the closed door to double check and pulled her by the waist towards him. "I'm thinking about buying those little anti-Casey patches, myself." He said, smirking.

She picked at a piece of fluff on his suit. "I guess we should talk about this when you get back." She said hesitantly.

"Predictable, Casey." He complained.

"Please?" she asked.

"If it makes you happy."

She grinned. "Bet you never thought you'd say that to me!" Derek pulled a face.

"Enjoy your shopping trip with Dawn." He said, trying to change the subject. "Don't cause me any headlines."

"You behave yourself too."

"Meaning?" he asked, amused.

Casey paused. She had been going to say 'no loose women', but that would sound too possessive and she really had no right.

The thing Derek had learnt about Casey on day one, all those years ago. Most of the time, you just had to look into her eyes to see what she was thinking.

"I'll behave myself." He said, reading her mind. "No girls."

"I can't ask…"

"Yes." He said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You can."

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"What exactly were you after?" Dawn asked as they wandered the mall. Casey had long ago learnt the art of sneaking out of her home without the paparazzi. It involved a non-descript delivery truck, clothes she wouldn't normally be seen dead in, and no make up.

"Lingerie and night clothes, mainly."

Dawn looked up. "Oh? New guy in your life?"

Casey blushed. Dawn grinned. "No problem. What sort of look are you going for?"

Her employer shrugged.

Dawn chuckled. "How about 'hot virgin'?"

"I wish." Casey said. Dawn raised an eyebrow.

"The 'hot' part or the 'virgin'?"

"Both. Too many mistakes to be listed here."

"Haven't we all?"

She linked arms with her boss and led her towards one of the premiere lingerie designer boutiques on Rodeo Drive.

"So how come the gossip mags aren't full of your new guy?" Dawn asked.

"Because he isn't my new guy."

"Yet. By the time I've finished with you he will be."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"How was shopping?" Derek asked over the phone from his hotel suite.

"Expensive."

"Evening dresses or stage outfits?" he asked.

"Underwear actually."

Silence.

"Really. Tell me more."

"Der-ek!"


	21. D Is For Diamond

**Author's Note: …because I really can't deprive anyone of the following any longer.**

It wasn't that she was waiting up for him. It was just that she couldn't sleep until she knew he was home. And it had absolutely nothing to do with the change in their relationship, because Casey had never been able to sleep properly until Derek was home; not even when they were fifteen. It was one of the reasons why she had hated him going to parties and on dates. Waiting up for a drunk step-brother, just so that you know he's safe, sucks. Waiting up for said sober step-brother when he's on the red-eye from Melbourne working for you…that hurts too.

Especially when you had an epiphany about your relationship while he was away.

She was in bed reading, or trying to at least, when she heard the front door close. Casey had sent everyone home for the weekend because it had been a busy week and she was planning on kicking back for two days. She had even given Ellen the night off.

It was tempting to stay in her room and wait to see if he came to her. But she didn't. Firstly, because she didn't know how she would handle it if he didn't come to her and secondly because she had sent Ellen home, and if Casey knew Derek, he would be hungry. She pulled on a bathrobe over her night gown and padded out onto the landing. Derek was halfway up the stairs.

"You look like shit." She said, relishing the chance to tease.

"Thanks." He said still climbing the stairs.

"You hungry?" she asked, wondering why she was wasting her breath.

He gave her a pointed look.

"Stupid question. I'll go make you a sandwich."

"Great. I smell disgusting. I think my suit can walk itself to the cleaners. I'm going to go grab a shower."

Thirty minutes later, they were sitting on Casey's bed. Derek had propped himself up with several pillows and had just finished munching his way through a large sandwich.

"So how was Melbourne?" Casey asked.

"Australian." He said, grinning. His humour had returned with the first mouthful of food. "It was fine, pretty good in fact. Long business days for me though and the journey's a killer." His hair was still slightly damp from the shower. Casey wanted to put a hand up to brush it from his eyes but stopped herself, unsure of the status of whatever it was they had apparently started before he left.

"How about you?" he asked "How's Diva-ville?"

"We've finished in the studio. Jaz seems happy with it all."

"How many tracks did you go with in the end?"  
"Twelve. Seven of my own and five written for me."

"Did you get the message I left today about them releasing three additional singles after Nah Nah? They picked three of your own songs."

"I know. It's amazing!" She knelt up in her enthusiasm. "I was jumping around so much Jaz told me that if I didn't calm down he'd sedate me."

Derek laughed. "You'd think after all these years he'd be used to Casey freak-outs by now." He said putting a hand up to play with a strand of her hair.

"I missed you." He murmured quietly. His eyes questioning hers.

"I missed you too." Casey answered, hoping he could see the extent to which that statement was true.

"Good." He said smirking, and she knew his next comment was going to be a smart Alec one. "Because I'd h…"

Casey interrupted him by pressing her lips to his, just once, briefly.

"Shut up Derek." She whispered as she let him go, and then moved back towards him.

This time Derek met her halfway.

Kissing Derek was a prime example of how you should never judge a book by its cover; or even the jacket summary.

Casey, on the (many) occasions when she had thought about kissing Derek, had always assumed that his lips would be hard and forceful and determined, pushing the recipient towards the Derek goal. (She always blushed when she thought of the Derek goal.) And she had thought that the kisses would be accompanied by straying hands, groping, probing.

It wasn't like that at all.

His lips were soft, gentle and welcoming. Eyes closed, he let Casey push him back against the pillows, and deepen the kiss. When his hands did touch her, it was her hair they caught and he was just matching Casey's own movement, her fingers were finally tangled in his damp hair.

"Welcome home." She smiled softly when the kissing moved away from her lips. He chuckled against her neck.

"Can I have that sort of welcome every time I come home?" He asked and glanced up at her, a new warmth in his eyes. "What brought this on?"

"Not knowing was driving me crazy." She said, kissing him again.

"Not knowing what?" he frowned when she let him breathe again.

"Whether you felt the same way I did." Casey said, resting their foreheads together.

Derek ran a finger down her back, feeling her bathrobe moving against something smooth and sleek underneath. "Surely the sleeping in the same bed thing is a big hint. I don't sleep with just anyone, you know." He smirked. "Despite the rumours. And you of all people should know how little you can go by rumours."

They were quiet for a moment.

"I bought you a present. Do you want to see it?" he asked, kissing her mouth lightly. Casey smiled and nodded. Derek grinned, kissed her soundly and climbed off the bed. He crossed the room and entered his own, returning a moment later with a small, wrapped box. He resumed his previous position on the bed but turned to her.

"I want you to understand about this present, okay?"

Casey nodded.

"This is a present from me to my girlfriend because that's what you are, first and foremost, above any other…erm…relationship." She giggled.

"You mean the s word?"

"Yeah. Do me a favour and don't say it." They grinned at each other. "But," he resumed. "Obviously, we can't just announce it to 'Ok' or 'Hello' or some cheap tabloid, because…well, then the Fam will hear, and things will get complicated."  
"Understatement." Casey said.

"So, for now at least you're my little secret, and I'm yours."

Casey smiled. "I quite like the idea of that."

"Yeah. Me too. Clandestine. Lots of scope for sneaking around." He smirked. "That's rather hot. Anyway, since I can't tell anyone I'm dating you I wanted something to show that you were dating _someone_. A way of marking you as taken, I suppose, if your feminist side will excuse the implication. I got you this, because it is so clearly something a boyfriend would give. And yes, I bought it with the word 'girlfriend' and 'dating' in mind."

Derek combed her hair with his fingers again. "I thought about you a lot while I was away."  
Casey took the present from him and slipped the paper from it. Inside was a box with the name and address of a Melbourne jeweller on it. She smiled at Derek and opened the box.

Inside, nestling on blue velvet was a silver coloured pendant on a chain. It was a stylised 'C' in a modern form with a single diamond in its swirl.

"It's platinum. I thought about having a C and D joined, but I thought that would be too obvious to all those eagle-eyed gossip columnists. So the stone is a diamond instead."  
"A diamond to represent you?"

"Delusions of grandeur." He quipped.

"It's beautiful." She said in awe. Then she smirked. "And significantly more sappy than I had you down for."

"I had help. The guy in the shop started going on about the meanings of stones because he wanted me to buy this expensive ring that had these hideously coloured stones because they spelled out 'dearest'. I've never called anyone 'dearest' in my life. Well except maybe you, but in jest. Then I saw the design for the C and the diamond. It suited."

"I'm impressed, Derek. Thank you."

He smirked. "Do I get a reward?"

Casey looked at him, sensing a return to form. She raised an eyebrow.

"Had you anything particular in mind?"

"No. Although a peek at whatever slinky item you are wearing under that robe would be nice, but I'll settle for some more kisses."

"Der-ek!" she complained. He smirked even more. Casey leant towards him.

"You can't just expect me to strip off because you ask, Derek."  
"No. I know that." He said, kissing her.

"It takes a lot more work than that." She said, letting him kiss her again.

"I'm sure it does." He said, sitting up and sliding a hand under her robe, by her collarbone. He started to plant little kisses along her neck to her mouth. "Better?" he asked.

"Much." She said against his lips.

The kissing was getting serious, and Casey was gradually losing her mind. She was also losing her robe, but she didn't care.

Derek fingered the pale rose satin of her night gown. It clung in all the right places, and turned him on more tonight than anything in black would have done. It was perfectly Casey. Perfectly hot.

"Did you get that on your shopping trip?" he asked, kissing her shoulder.

"Hmm." Casey confirmed sliding her hands under his t-shirt.

"Remind me to give Dawn a raise." He said, moving south.


	22. Breakfast At Casey's

Casey McDonald was not a virgin. She hadn't been one before tonight and she definitely wasn't one after tonight. The terrible cherry-busting deed had been achieved during the hiatus in her acquaintance with Derek; shortly after her rise to fame, and before she learnt her lessons, the hard way. If she and Derek hadn't had their fight when they did and if he hadn't have walked out of her life then, this would probably have been her first time.

As it was, by the time tonight came around, she had had two sexual partners. Neither of them were much to write home about and both of whom had broken her heart. Or rather, both of them hadn't treated her very well and she had sworn off men for the rest of her life / the year / month as a result; because as she realised now, her heart had always been Derek's.

Neither of her past lovers had made her feel like this.

It didn't feel good because Derek was a good lover even though sex with him _was_ mind-blowing. What made it so good was that she had no reservations about being with him. It was like coming home after a long journey in the wilderness; a wild, frantic homecoming, but comfortable all the same. They fitted together as though they had been…. She was going to say 'separated at birth', but that was a sibling relationship a little too close to the truth.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

It was dark. It was late. He was still kissing her.

Casey chuckled to herself.

"What?" he asked.

"I just expected you to be the sort of guy who rolls off and goes to sleep."

"Thanks a load, Casey." Derek said sarcastically.

He felt her fingers brush his lips.

"I'm not complaining." She said her voice made deeper by emotion - and lust. "You're very good at sex." Apparently, Casey's hands knew how to wander too.

He nuzzled her neck. "I'm glad you think so. So are you, which, no offence, is a surprise."

If the light was on, she would be able to see the questioning look.

"Did you expect me to be a virgin? Derek I'm 23. Did you think I would wait until you got your act together?" she asked honestly, which said more about their early relationship than you might have thought. He knew he had felt something for her at college and probably earlier, he just hadn't realised she had felt something for him too. He cursed his stupid teenage self for being so narrow-minded as to over look this beautiful girl when he had her in close proximity the first time. And for letting her walk away.

"No." he said, answering her question. "And I didn't mean that I was surprised _you_ were good. It just felt incredible, and maybe, because I've been wanting that for so long, the best. "

"We've wasted a lot of time, haven't we?"

"Things happen when they are supposed to, Case. But, yes, right now, I'm pretty disgusted with 15 year old Derek."

"Me too."

He laughed. "You've always been disgusted with me…what's new?"

Things became quiet again as they kissed.

"We're on our own till Monday." Casey murmured against his ear. "I gave everyone the weekend off because last week was so heavy."

"You mean I get to sleep in one bed all night? No bed-hopping at 5am?"

"No. Actually, we could stay here all weekend, if you like."

"Now that idea I really like." He grinned.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

When he woke the next morning, the sun was shining through the windows and the bed beside him was empty. He frowned, wondering if he was still in his Melbourne hotel room, but then he spotted the blue satin nightdress he had helped Casey remove the previous night and felt the strained muscles in his arms and legs and he smiled to himself, rolling onto his back to look up at the ceiling.

Casey still hadn't materialised and he could tell she wasn't in the bathroom, so he pulled his pyjamas back on and made his way out onto the landing to look for her. As soon as he stepped out of the bedroom, a smell hit him and sent his stomach into meltdown. Someone was cooking breakfast. If it was Casey – which it had to be, she had sent everyone else home – he needed to get downstairs quickly. Casey's cooked breakfasts were unbelievably good, a fact he had discovered at college, and she hated it when you were late. He charged down the stairs as fast as his legs would carry him and headed for the kitchen.

She was standing at the hob, frying eggs and bacon. Derek paused in the doorway to watch his girlfriend, loving the fact that he could mentally use the term accurately. She had a robe on, but he couldn't tell if there was anything underneath it. He stepped up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist.

"Ok. Now I'm torn. Girlfriend or cooked breakfast?" he asked, kissing her neck.

"Breakfast if you know what's good for you, I was just about the call you." Casey switched off the hob and turned in his arms. Derek slid a hand under the collar of the robe, and confirmed his earlier suspicion that beneath it, she was naked.

Naked except for his necklace.

"Do you know how difficult it is for me to sit down and eat breakfast right now." he asked. Casey grinned.

"That's a first. But you better had, because you need the energy."

He raised an eyebrow.

She smirked and leaned into him. "You've got to get through the rest of the weekend."


	23. Hello and Hot Tubs

"Derek!" Ged called down the corridor. Derek looked up from his discussion with Casey.

"You're going to want to see this." Casey's secretary continued. Casey jerked her head towards her employee and whispered.

"Go on. I'll catch up with you later."

"It won't be till late, princess. I've got meetings all afternoon."

"Then I'll see you in bed." She grinned and walked away. Sometimes, hiding the fact that they were lovers was the hardest thing in the world, because he wanted to spend all his time touching her. Instead, he was limited to the odd brotherly arm around her or a peck on the cheek. Not easy when every inch (and some inches more than most) want to slam her up against the wall and kiss the air from her mouth.

They had been lovers for nine months now, it felt like nine minutes. Derek still found it hard to believe that his beautiful step-sister was his girlfriend and that they had made it work for so long. Their relationship was the longest he had ever had, and it still felt like day one. He had never thought you could know so much about a person and still not be bored in their company. Waking up beside her at 5am every morning was the highlight of his day…or at least until they climbed into the same bed at night. It was a testament to the draw she had for him that he was still prepared to get up before dawn every day to go back to his own room and mess up the bed.

She more than made up for it at night though. It turned out that Casey's passionate nature wasn't lost in the bedroom. Whilst Derek would have been happy to just lie beside her at night, there was rarely a 'just' about it. He could count on one hand the number of nights where they hadn't been intimate with each other in some way or another.

He shook himself free of thoughts of last night and Casey's latest little lacy number, and walked down the corridor towards Ged.

"What have you got for me?" He asked Ged, taking the proffered piece of paper. Ged juggled his own copy of the paper, a notebook and a pen.

"Hello magazine are doing a speculative piece on Casey."

"Oh?" Derek said as he skimmed the paper in front of him. The article was headed, 'Casey: pining for Sean?' and was accompanied by choice pictures, some old, some new of Casey looking unhappy. Derek frowned, recognising the locations for most of the shots. In most cases, he knew they had just been lucky to get a bad picture of Casey, in a couple, he knew she really had been upset: once because she had just heard she would be missing Lizzie's birthday party, and another time because a favourite member of her team had been taken ill and she was worried about them. The article speculated that Casey was desperate to get back with her ex-boyfriend, Sean, the actor who she had ended the relationship with when she discovered he had been humping his co-star, a seventeen year old girl.

Derek sighed. "Great! Just what I need on a Monday morning with a full day of meetings ahead."

Ged grinned. "Do we do the official denial?" he asked as they walked into Derek's office.

There was no answer. Derek was still reading the article. He sat down thoughtfully on the leather couch in the corner, Ged perched on an armchair in the same cluster and waited.

"What?" Derek said, eventually realising that Ged had asked him a question.

"Do we publish the usual denial?" Ged repeated. Derek shook his head.

"Nah. This is so badly written I can't even be bothered. What the hell does the editor think they're doing letting crap like this out? It's like the poor 'Hello' substitutes. I never thought I'd see crap like this in the real thing. Who's editing 'Hello' these days?"

Ged checked his notes. "Kendra Mason." He said.

Derek looked up suddenly. "WHO?!"

"Kendra Mason. A fellow Canadian, I believe."

His boss swore softly. "Do you have the latest edition of Hello?" he asked, hoping that his hunch was right. Ged, ever efficient, slipped the magazine out from the pile of papers he had in his arms.

Derek looked at him in amazement. "How the hell do you do that?" Ged shrugged.

"I plan."

Derek rolled his eyes as he took the magazine. "God. Not another planner. No wonder you and Casey get on." He opened the magazine flicking through it, hoping for a staff page. He was in luck. It appeared the magazine had just undergone a change in editor, and was announcing the fact with a special bio on Kendra Mason, seasoned gossip columnist and now editor-in-charge of the glossy.

"Isn't that interesting?" he said, thoughtfully. Ged was confused.

Derek looked up. "Ged. Get me the editor of 'Hello' magazine on the line please.

"Kendra Mason?"

"Yeah. Kendra Mason."

"You think she'll want to talk to you?" Ged asked.

"Come on Ged. I represent one of the hottest rock stars in the western world. Of course, she'll want to talk to me."

Ged shrugged and flicked though his bulging filofax, looking for the main switchboard number for 'Hello' magazine. He dialled the number.

"I'd like to speak to Kendra Mason, please." He asked the switchboard operator.

"I'll put you through to her secretary." The operator said.

While the connection was made, Derek reached across and took the phone from Ged and flicked it onto loud speaker. He put a finger to his lips for Ged to remain quiet.

The secretary answered.

"Kendra Mason's office."

"I'd like to speak to Miss Mason please." Derek said, politely.

"_Ms_ Mason's rather busy at the moment and cannot be disturbed. Can I ask who is calling?"

"Could you please tell her I'm on the line? I think she'll want to speak to me." he said, leaning against his desk.

"And the name?" the secretary asked.

"Derek Venturi."

"Thank you Mr Venturi. One moment, please."

Ged expected the secretary to come back asking for a number with which _Ms_ Mason could call Mr Venturi back on. What he didn't expect was…

"Dere-bear!!!!!!! Darling! How lovely to hear from you?!"

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Derek looked across the lunch table at his ex-girlfriend and reflected that time changes people…but not Kendra. She was the same shallow, effusive girl she had always been. Only now she was dressed better and ate less. She tried looking at him coyly as she placed a napkin delicately in her lap.

"So. Derek. What are you up to now?"

"Cut the crap, Kendra. You know what I'm doing. It's the whole reason why you let that sorry excuse for an article through your editorial meeting. You wanted to flush me out of the woodwork. Now I'm just curious as to why. Please tell me you don't want to date again, because, I'm not interested."

"Derek, hun. You're gorgeous and dating you was an experience I won't forget in a hurry, but, babe, seriously I got over you. Now I'm only interested in your sister."

Derek raised an eyebrow. "Kendra. She's straight. You don't stand a chance. And it's _Step_-sister not sister." He said, wilfully misinterpreting Kendra's statement.

Kendra was her usual airheaded self.

"No silly. I don't mean like that. I want a story for the magazine. She's so delightfully shy about publicity, and no one has a clue who she's dating right now. I want the story."

Derek recognised the tone. It took him back several years to evenings at the movies where they had argued at the door as to which film to see, and Kendra had won just by flat-out stating "I Want…"

"There's a reason, Case doesn't want publicity. She doesn't want paparazzi clambering for dirty photos and raw sex tapes."

"There are dirty photos and raw sex tapes?!" Kendra exclaimed, taking a Blackberry from her bag and urgently typing the new information into a file note.

"No Kendra. There aren't. I said it for effect." He sat forward and put a hand firmly on the table. "Look Casey likes privacy. And I tell you now she's not going to be happy if you publish that crap about Sean. Do you seriously think she'd pine over an ass-hole who sleeps with girls so close to the legal limit?"

Kendra waved a dismissive hand. "Casey's love life has always been a bit of a disaster but that story was dead as soon as you called. A better story would be if you told me who she is really dating…" Kendra raised her eyebrows hopefully.

Derek cringed inwardly. _Yeah Kendra. That really would be the story of the year for your little gossip mag, but I ain't giving it to you. 'Casey boinks brother' is never going to hit the news stands._

"Who says she's dating anyone?" He asked, lifting his burger to his mouth, casually.

Kendra leant her elbows on the table and looked at him carefully. "Derek. She's rich and looks vaguely presentable. Of course someone is dipping in the Casey pool."

He nearly choked. He thought quickly.

"Millions of people the world over think she looks better than 'vaguely presentable'." He stated.

"Okay, so she's attractive."

Derek raised an eyebrow. "She's gorgeous, Kendra. Give her that at least. Even I have to admit that." He smirked. _Gorgeous, sexy, passionate…_

"You're paid to think that. So who is he?"

"Who's who?"

"The lover."

"I haven't seen anyone coming and going from her room."

"Maybe I should talk to the servants."

"What servants? We don't have servants. And the _staff_ we have is very loyal."

His ex-girlfriend huffed. "The only thing people are loyal to is money, D."

"Kendra. Just drop it okay." He leaned forward. "I've got a suggestion. I'll let you have an 'At home' article, if you lay off the 'who's Casey getting boned by?' story. Okay?"

Kendra sat back. "A romance story would be more lucrative." She objected.

"I'll throw in a hot tub photograph." He added slyly.

Kendra's eyes widened. "With Casey in it?"

"Of course."

"You have a deal."


	24. Persuasion

"You said _what_?!" Casey stared at her manager in disbelief.

Derek had decided to have this conversation in his office rather than their bedroom. He figured it was better to keep their professional life and their sex life separate.

"She was fishing for details of who you were sleeping with. I figured a couple of pages of you posing by the hot tub were better than waking up to find a photographer perched on our bed."

He had closed and locked his office door, and as an added precaution most of the office had already gone home. Ged had strict instructions not to let anyone near the office whilst Derek informed Casey of the terms of his agreement with Kendra.

"That girl will be the death of me. It was bad enough when she covered the high school with posters saying how desperate I was for a boyfriend, but _this…_Derek. I refuse to prostitute myself for Kendra's benefit."

"Honey, I know. But for the sake of hiding our relationship, don't you think you posing in a bikini for Hello is worth it?"

Casey sighed. "Why couldn't I fall in love with someone normal? Why did I have to fall in love with my step-brother?"

Derek stood at the window looking out. "You don't have to be in love with me. This can stop anytime you say, babe." He closed the drapes as he spoke.

Casey felt a coldness creep over her. "Don't be ridiculous, Derek. I love you. I can't change that."

"I'm more hassle than I'm worth." He said quietly.

Casey walked over to him.

"Derek. I'd rather give up every single thing I have than lose you, and that includes our family."

"Fortunately, giving up our family is not necessary." He said pulling her into his arms.

"So far. I wonder what they'll say when they eventually find out."

Derek kissed her hair. "They'll blame me." he said. "They always do."

Casey grinned at him and met his mouth with her own.

Eventually, Derek let go of her and walked to the door. He opened it and shouted. "Ged?"

"Yeah?"

"This is going to take a while. Tell everyone to go home. I'll lock up."

"Okay. Night."

"Night."

Derek locked his office door again and walked back over to Casey. She raised an eyebrow.

"I'm being stubborn, am I?"

"I think you need additional powers of persuasion." Derek said, reaching up to the buttons of the shirt she was wearing and starting to undo them one by one.

"Really?"

"Really." Derek said, kissing her neck and making his way along her jaw-line to her mouth.

Casey let him kiss her softly. "You're very good at that." She said, starting her own assault on his shirt buttons and then kissing her way down his chest. As she reached the waistband of his pants she stopped. "Let's take this upstairs to the hot tub." She said. "After all, that's what this is all about."

"Good idea, McDonald. I'll see you up there." He said, smirking.

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"Wow!" said Kendra, walking in through the front door. Ged, who had opened the door, looked at her in astonishment. She was holding a pair of designer sunglasses in one hand and was contemplating the grand foyer of Casey's home.

"So this is what you get for singing a ditty on a Canadian talent show."

Casey stood at the base of the staircase.

"It took a little more than that, Kendra."

"Casey! It's so good to see you!" Kendra didn't miss a beat. Casey chuckled to herself. She knew Kendra too well to think this was personal. It was just the way Kendra was. She wondered, not for the first time what Derek had seen in this girl, other than the obvious "looks" thing.

"And you Kendra. How's life?" she said, moving to give her old friend a hug.

"Oh. You know. The same old same old. Too many men, not enough hours in the day. How about you?" she asked pointedly.

Casey laughed. "Come on. Let's introduce you to the staff."

Derek was in the main office when Casey brought Kendra through. He stopped to give his ex a kiss on the cheek, catching Casey's eye in the process. She rolled her eyes at her boyfriend who smirked back.

"Casey's going to give you the guided tour, and then you can go back with the photographer and take whatever photographs you want." Derek said. "Within reason."

"Do I get photos of Casey's bedroom?" Kendra asked. Derek nodded.

"The hot tub?" Derek nodded again.

Kendra straightened. "Cool. Lead on Klutzilla."

Casey bent to the nearest desk picked up a Post-it and scribbled something on it. As she left the room with Kendra, she handed the note to Derek.

He opened it carefully.

"_You owe me one night of carnal pleasures, Venturi. I am not taking this standing up._"

Derek laughed, ripped the post-it into a million pieces and threw them into the fireplace.

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"So how come Derek ended up as your manager?" Kendra said. She and Casey were both sitting in the hot tub. Casey had jokingly asked Kendra if she wanted to try the hot tub out and to Casey's surprise she had produced a small bikini from her handbag and asked where to change.

"How does Derek wind up doing anything? Lies, more lies and subterfuge." Casey said with a grin. She wondered what Kendra would think if she knew that she was sitting in exactly the same spot as Derek was the other night when…Casey pulled herself away from some very pleasant memories to pay attention to Kendra.

They had done the tour of the whole house, with Kendra's photograph taking picture after picture: Casey leaning against a piano, Casey baking in the kitchen, Casey and Derek relaxing with the Sunday papers and so on. It was nice to see Kendra again, but Casey wasn't stupid and she definitely wasn't letting her guard down.

"So no lover in the wings?" Kendra asked.

Casey laughed. "Why? You planning on throwing me another 'Casey can't get a date' party?"

Kendra laughed too – a rather irritating sound. "I'd forgotten about that."

"I hadn't." Casey said quietly.

"Hey it got you Max didn't it?"

"Kendra. You can't take the credit for Max, okay?"

"I'm gonna try."

"And you can't publish anything about our high school years…okay? No 'Klutzilla Casey' stories."

Kendra beamed at her. "Never occurred to me…until now." Her friend rolled her eyes.

"Derek was a bad influence on you, Kendra."

"Where is he, anyway?"  
"If I know Derek, on his hands and knees listening at the door. He's taken the Manager role to heart. He's my second mother. I'm just waiting for him to break out into soft furnishings."

"Ha-bloody-ha Spacey." He said coming into the room.

Casey turned in triumph. "Like I said, listening at the door."


	25. Derek's Secret I

Another hotel room. Another city.

This time however, Lizzie was staying with Casey. She was on a break from college and apparently had just gone through a painful split from a boyfriend. Casey was lending a shoulder to cry on. It evicted Derek from their bed because they still hadn't told the family, but Casey was really happy to see her sister, so he was being tolerant. Well almost.

"Tell me again why we can't tell Lizzie." He said, tucking into breakfast. Lizzie was in the shower.

"Because then she'll be conflicted. I can't do that to her." Casey sipped her caffeine-free tea. "Of course, we could just go public."

"Or not."

"Are you ashamed of me?"

"Yeah. You look like a dog and you can't sing for toffee." He said with a smirk.

"Moron!"

"Lamebrain."

"Jerk!"

Derek flicked a piece of toast at her and it landed in her cleavage.

"Der-ek!" Casey said getting up and walking around the table to confront him. He caught her waist as she approached and fished the toast out with his teeth. It made Casey giggle. Derek glanced around her at Lizzie's door and then kissed a path from her breast bone down to her navel.

"You're a tease." She said to him in the breathless voice which sent him weak at the knees.

"So are you." He mumbled against her skin. "Do you have any idea what I want to do to you right now?"

"I can think of a few things." She said into his hair.

"Yeah. But I bet this wasn't one of them." He said, grabbing both her hands in one of his and starting to tickle her. Casey dropped to the floor in an attempt to get away from him, but he dropped with her and the tickling continued. Casey got a hand free and started batting at him and they rolled around on the floor, grunting.

"Oh for godsake, you two. Fighting again? You know, Mom's under the impression you'd grown up." Lizzie was standing in the doorway, hands on hips.

Derek pulled away from Casey whose bathrobe was now completely open, revealing she was naked underneath.

"Ew! Spacey. Put some clothes on. I just ate."

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"I can't believe you are really taking me out with you tonight!" Lizzie said in an excited voice. She was dressed in a figure-hugging designer number and Casey's make-up and hair team had done their work on the two women.

"Well I know that this exhibition is completely up your street as it is a commentary on recycling, so I thought we should go."

"How do you manage to get tickets for these things anyway?" Lizzie asked. Casey laughed.

"I didn't. It's invitation only."

"We are invited though?"

Derek chuckled from the other side of the room where he was fiddling with his new guitar. It had been a birthday present from Casey. He wasn't going with the girls.

"Casey doesn't need an invite. If she wants to go somewhere I just phone the organisers and ask if they have any objection to her making an appearance. They normally piss themselves in their hurry to accept."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

Casey shrugged. "I don't do it very often. It seems rude, even if they do want me there. Anyway, This time I didn't ask D to pull strings, I wrote to them and explained that my sister was staying with me and was very interested in the subject matter, and asked if there was any chance we could look around sometime."

"And they said yes?"

Derek answered. "No. They phoned me up and a simpering curator told me a gilt-edge invite to the opening was in the post, and would I please convey their heart-felt thanks to Miss McDonald for her condescension."

Lizzie laughed. "Well, either way. Thank you!" She kissed Casey on the cheek and then went over to kiss Derek. "See you later, D."

"Have fun!"

Casey was nearly out the door.

"What's the matter Case? Worried you'll catch something?" He shouted at her. Casey looked confused.

"If Lizzie can give me a kiss, where's the one from you?" She rolled her eyes and waddled across to him in the tight dress. Bending over so that he had a bird's eye view of her plumped up cleavage, she kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll help you out of that dress later." He whispered.

"I'll hold you to that."

He smirked and stared intently at her chest. "I'd rather you held me to those."

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No sooner had Casey gone than Jaz appeared.

"You ready?" he asked Derek.

"Yeah. I thought she would never go."

Jaz walked over to the piano and sat down. "Let's get started. How did you get on with that riff?"

"Fine. Although, not being able to practice with Casey around is limiting my practice sessions."  
"You still want to do this?"

"Oh yeah. I owe her for the whole 'Nah nah' business."

"It's not an easy song to play, D."

"S'ok. I have two more months to learn it. It was the song that she won the talent show with, so if a beginner can sing it, a beginner can play it."

Jaz smirked. "What is it with you two? I know it's not sibling rivalry since you're bed-hopping."

Derek's eyes widened. Jaz laughed.

"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me." His face grew serious. "But, you mess with her Venturi and you'll need that guitar removing from your ass."

Derek grinned. Jaz narrowed his eyes. "What's so amusing?"

"That's the first time I've been on the receiving end of a 'don't hurt Casey' threat."

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	26. Dasey's Secret

"I've thought of a new award you could win." Lizzie said, settling back in the car. They were on their way back to the hotel after a fantastic evening.

"Oh. What's that?"

"Sister of the year."

Casey smiled. "Aw! Liz! Thanks!"

"It was great to be with people of a similar mind set." Lizzie said, looking out of the window at the cityscape passing by.

"Who was the guy you were talking to?" Her sister asked softly, understanding that she was in a slight dream.

"Phil? Oh he works in advertising. I was picking his brains over something."

Casey narrowed her eyes, sensing that Lizzie was hiding something. "Come on…spill!"

Lizzie sighed, a sort of excited sigh; a sigh because it is tiring to explain your secret, but invigorating to finally share it.

"I've got a business idea. It's something I've been thinking about for a while."

Casey was stunned. "That's great Lizzie. Tell me."

Lizzie turned slightly. "I'm thinking of setting up as a green wedding planner."

There was a pause during which time Casey pushed aside the little Derek voice she carried around in her head that wanted her to ask if that job entailed wedding co-ordination for Martians.

"Green Wedding Planner?" Casey said, thoughtfully. Lizzie explained.

"Most people go completely overboard at weddings. They order too much food, drink too much, spend too much on clothes and travel. It's a waste. But I'm not completely unromantic. I can see how people should celebrate their marriage. So I thought it would be good if there was someone who could help them plan a big wedding with a small carbon footprint."

"Wow! That's a great idea! Have you talked to Edwin about it?"

Lizzie frowned. "Why would I talk to Ed about it?" Casey thought she heard a touch of defensiveness about the subject.

"Liz. His product ideas might be awful but his knowledge of the business world is fantastic. If anyone could help you get this off the ground, it's Edwin. You should talk to him."

Her sister looked thoughtful. "Maybe I will."

Casey was fidgeting with her clutch bag.

"Lizzie. I'm going to tell you something and I'm going to make you swear not to tell anyone else, okay?"

Elizabeth McDonald felt a tingle of curiosity creep up her spine.

"Does this have something to do with you and Derek wrestling half naked?" She heard her own mouth say. Casey looked stunned.

"What? No. It's about money. If you are going to start a business venture off you will need capital."

Lizzie shook her heard. "Casey…I don't want money."

"Yes you do. You need money. And the best bit is this is your money already."

"You lost me."

"When I realised that my music was going to sell and I was going to make money at this job, I put some money in trust for each of my brothers and sisters, including you. You can't touch the capital until you are 25 but until then I can arrange for you to have some money on a loan."

Lizzie frowned. "How much money did you put away?"

Casey told her.

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Derek was watching TV when the door to the apartment banged open. His youngest step-sister came charging in, obviously severely pissed off. Casey followed behind her.

"Lizzie. Wait! Come on please…"

Derek stood up and looked questioningly at Casey who shook her head and followed her sister into her room.

Being Derek he listened at the door.

Satisfied it was over the money issue rather than that she had been told about their affair, he knocked and then barged in.

"Lizard! Calm down." He said smoothly. "It's Casey's money. She can do what she wants with it."

"Derek stay out of this." Casey pleaded.

"No." He turned to his sister; the step-sister who _was_ his sister. "Liz. She's done this for every one. It's equal."

"Has she done it for you?"

"No. I wouldn't let her. Besides she said 'brother'. I'm not her brother."

"You are." Lizzie said, not really meaning it but waiting to see what response it provoked.

"_Step_-brother!" The two lovers chorused.

Lizzie grinned triumphantly then her eye caught Casey's, she was looking guilty.

"Casey…_Have_ you set up a trust fund for Derek?" Lizzie asked intuitively. Casey, the girl who found it so hard to lie didn't answer. Derek turned in astonishment to his girlfriend. "Casey?"

She started towards the door.

"You promised me, Case." He sounded disgusted.

Reaching the door, Casey stopped. "Derek, I wouldn't have any of this if it wasn't for you. It was your dismissal that pushed me to enter the talent contest, it was your anger that helped me decide to pursue it. It was your rejection that made me push myself to succeed." He looked sad and so did Casey as they remembered the three years apart. Casey put a hand on his arm.

"Everything I have is as much yours as it is mine. All I do is get on stage and sing. You work hard making sure there are people there to listen. It's only fair you get some of the money. The trust fund is a compromise. If I had truly had my way you'd have half of everything."

"That's stupid, Case." He said, but there was no anger in his voice. "Do you have any idea how difficult that would be to arrange?"

"Practical, Derek?" Lizzie laughed. "Not really the Derek we know now, is it?"

They all smiled.

"I could just marry you." Casey said. "And no prenup."

Derek's astonished eyes tore themselves from Casey and looked at Lizzie. Casey had just mentioned marriage as though there was something between them, something very un-brotherly.

In. Front. Of. Lizzie.

In front of a member of their family. He needed to watch her, to gauge her reaction.

Lizzie smirked.

Derek took that as a good sign, and flicked back into Derek mode.

"If that was a proposal, McDonald, it sucked."

And with that all three of them were aware that the mis-matched jigsaw of their lives had been thrown in the air and when the pieces fell to the floor, they were a completed puzzle where all the pieces fitted closely, snugly, correctly.

All the pieces except one.

Casey glanced at Lizzie, as if seeking permission from the rest of the family. Lizzie laughed and nodded. Casey turned back to Derek.

"Derek Venturi. I love you. Will you marry me?" She asked, defiantly…daring him to say no.

"Yes."


	27. Edwin

"Couldn't you find somewhere bigger to have this discussion?" Ed asked, shifting uncomfortably in the janitor's closet of his dorm.

"Stop complaining." Lizzie sighed. "You weren't speaking to me. And women aren't allowed in your dorm. If you were speaking to me, we could have discussed this calmly over coffee at Starbucks."

"Hey. I'm not the one who freaked out. You stormed off."

"I needed time to think." She said, excusing herself.

"How much bloody time? Lizzie, we've known each other since we were ten. You know me inside and out." He smirked. "And as of two weeks ago, I definitely know _you_ inside and out."

She threw him a "don't go there" look. "This meeting isn't about that."

"Oh?" Edwin looked disappointed. He stepped back from her. "I sort of hoped you'd come to your senses."

"Ed, please. I'm here as your step-sister, I'm playing the family card."

He looked disgusted. "Don't, Lizzie. Derek isn't the only one who can do righteous indignation."

Lizzie smiled. "Ed. You can't play the hard man, hun, so don't try. It's not that I don't want to discuss us having sex, it's just that I have something more important to talk about, right now."

He relaxed slightly. "But we will discuss what happened?" She nodded. "Okay…_hun_…fire away."

"I've got a business idea. Casey seems to think you are a good person to help me."

Edwin's eyes widened. "Cool. Let's discuss it."

Lizzie started to open her mouth, but he placed a finger on her lips. "At Starbucks, Lizard. We're not ten anymore."

She laughed.

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"That's a pretty good idea. Ambitious, but if you can find the capital…"

"…there's no problem with capital." Lizzie interjected, sipping her hot chocolate. "Casey is arranging for me to draw on my trust fund early."

Edwin raised his eyebrows. "I didn't know Dennis set you up a trust fund."

"Dad didn't. It was Casey. You've got one too."

Edwin's eyes went out on stalks. "Seriously?" Lizzie nodded. Ed's eyes narrowed again. "How much?"

Lizzie told him.

"Fuck me!" he exclaimed.

Lizzie couldn't resist. "Been there, done that." She sing-songed.

He rolled his eyes at her. "I wonder if Casey would let me tap my trust fund."

"Ed you aren't even supposed to know about it."

"Liz. It'd be for a good cause. You need a lot to start a business. It would be tight with just your money, but with mine as well…"

It was Lizzie's turn to look amazed. "You'd go in with me too?"

"Of course. Lizzie, we always do everything together, why not the business idea too."

His step-sister threw her arms around his neck.

"I love you Ed!" She squealed into his ear.

"You love me or my trust fund?" He said wryly.

Lizzie batted him playfully. "Moron."

They both laughed and then he pulled her to him for a large kiss.

"You know. What you could do with are some friends who are getting married, who want a green wedding. You know, let everything spread by word of mouth. It will take a few years to get your reputation going."

Lizzie smiled. "Well I have a friend who is an organic florist who is putting me in touch with a couple of brides, but I have one big publicity trick up my sleeve."

"Oh?"

"I've been signed up for a really big wedding."

"Oh?"

"Casey's getting married."

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There was silence for a while.

"I didn't know she was seeing anyone." Edwin was still stunned. "And Dad and Nora didn't say anything."

"No. Because she's telling them this weekend."

"Who's she marrying?"

"She wouldn't tell me." Lizzie lied. "Apparently, she isn't going to tell anyone because of the risk of a leak. It's going to be a surprise on the day."

"You are fucking kidding me!"

"Nope."

Ed grabbed his girlfriend by the arms. "Lizzie that is _perfect_! It will be all over the papers, everyone will be clambering for all the details. You'll be so high profile."

He let go of her. "Right…we need to talk to a few friends of mine. And I think we should move to LA for the Summer Break. What d'ya think?"

Lizzie smiled happily. Casey had been right about telling Ed, and in ways she hadn't realised. The two weeks apart from him while she tried to convince herself there was nothing between them had been tortuous. He wanted her, and he wanted her future.

How could she say no?

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"I don't understand." Nora said.

"I'm getting married." Casey said.

"Is this a publicity stunt?" George said. Casey turned to her step-father, shaking her head.

"No. It's the opposite. I don't want my fiancé to be followed everywhere, it's going to be hard enough being married to me as it is. So, I'm not telling anyone who it is until the ceremony."

George sighed. "Derek has something to do with this, I can tell."

Casey tried hard not to choke in her tea. "I did ask his advice. I think it's a good idea. He's my manager, he knows how the business works."

"Does he love you?"

"Derek?" Casey asked, puzzled.

"No, silly. Your fiancé. I mean, he's not just after your money is he?"

Casey chuckled. "After the whole Milo business, do you seriously think Derek would allow that?"

George was thoughtful. "Does Derek know him?"

Casey laughed. "Derek _loves_ him!" she said emphatically, thinking how seriously true that statement was.

"Well, if it makes you happy honey, we can't say anything except…we'll be there…with bells on!" Nora threw her arms around her daughter. "And…congratulations!" She pulled away. "Now, let's see the ring."


	28. Derek's Secret II

"Hello Guys! Looking for me?"

The sexy voice carried over the sound system and the crowd went wild as a spotlight highlighted an area of the otherwise completely dark stage. Casey was dressed in another tight outfit.

It amused Derek to hell because her real bedroom voice, which he knew intimately, sounded nothing like the one over the speakers – which incidentally did nothing for him. When she was really in seduction mode his knees had been known to give way. And the sparkly outfit was cute, but Casey in his t-shirt with just-been-screwed hair was far hotter.

He was watching from his usual place off stage, trying hard not to think about what he was about to do.

Satisfied that the show was going well, he turned from the stage and made his way to Jaz's dressing room. Jaz's wife was there.

"So, do you need to throw up?" she asked.

"Not yet." He said. Then she watched, amused, as he bolted for the attached bathroom.

He emerged from the dressing room, ten minutes later, dark suit exchanged for one in a shiny dark green – the sort of suit you wouldn't be seen dead on the street in. Fortunately, he wasn't going to be walking the streets in it any time soon.

"Ready?" Kate asked.

"No. I'm insane."

"I've heard you Derek, you aren't insane, you're good. This competition thing you have with Casey…that's insane. Cute…but insane."

Derek smiled at the mention of his fiancée. His secret fiancée. They still hadn't announced her engagement to the press yet. Derek was holding off until tonight was over. He didn't want anyone putting two and two together.

The Stage Manager came over. "We need you in the wings. She's just about to start the song before yours."

Derek took his guitar from Kate. "Are the others in place?"

The SM nodded.

"Okay, people. Let's do it." Derek said, and bolted for the bathroom again.

By the time he got to the stage Casey was well into the song – one of her own ones which he knew she had written about him.

_Loving you, isn't really something I should do_

_Shouldn't want to spend my time with you_

_I should try to be strong,_

_But baby you're the right king of wrong._

He rolled his eyes at the lyrics as he moved into position for the next song.

Casey was too into the song to notice he was on stage, and he saw her look towards his usual position in the wings as she always did at a particular point in that song. It was different this time because he wasn't there. Even in the psychedelic flickering of the stage lights he saw the set of her shoulders change. There was no one else in the world that would have noticed, let alone understand it. For a brief second, Casey was the uncertain fifteen year old he had fallen for. She was wondering where he was. He wished he could suddenly appear in the wings and smirk at her…

…but that would ruin his prank. So instead, he nodded to Jaz as the previous song finished, and plugged himself in while Casey walked to the front of the stage, explaining to the crowd that she still had a soft spot for the next song which was the song that launched her career.

When Louse hit the first drum beat, Derek was ready. He started playing the lead guitar on the second drum beat. And he played it perfectly.

The one thing Casey _didn't_ like about 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' was that Roach always screwed the third bar up when he played it live.

Derek, however, didn't.

So at the third bar, Casey _knew_ it wasn't Roach playing, and that's when she turned round.

After four months of practicing, Derek knew the piece so well he could play and smirk at the same time. Casey rolled her eyes to heaven, but there was a massive grin on her face. They couldn't talk, but that was fine by Casey, because the song was exactly the right mood. So when Derek stepped forward in line with her, she sang it at him.

And it was just like one of their fights.

_Well you're the real tough cookie with the long history _

_Of breaking little hearts, like the one in me _

_That's O.K., let's see how you do it _

_Put up your dukes, let's get down to it! _

_Hit Me With Your Best Shot! _

_Why Don't You Hit Me With Your Best Shot! _

_Hit Me With Your Best Shot! _

_Fire Away! _

_You come on with a come on, you don't fight fair _

_But that's O.K., see if I care! _

_Knock me down, it's all in vain _

_I'll get right back on my feet again! _

Derek was enjoying this banter – he really was. The entire venue disappeared and it was just Casey and him chasing each other around the bedroom and that was exactly what he was planning to do when they got back to their hotel…

And now they were approaching the bridge and whilst Derek could play it, he had chickened out of it for this gig.

For this gig, he had arranged something different.

He stopped playing and behind Casey at the other end of the stage someone else picked up the music. Casey turned in surprise and then her jaw dropped. An unfamiliar – but oh so familiar – figure was striding onto the stage his fingers expertly playing the intricate patterns of the music as if he had been playing them for years. Which he had – thirty years to be precise. It was Neil Giraldo, lead guitarist for and husband of Pat Benetar. And just as Casey processed this and it became time for her to start singing again, she spotted another figure leaving the wings.

The artist herself.

The crowd erupted and anyone sitting down stood.

For not the first time in her life, Casey was grateful she wasn't the fainting kind. She glanced across at a now openly laughing Derek and then turned back to her new singing partner and they started the next verse together.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Derek scratched his bare chest and brushed Casey's hair to one side so that it stopped tickling him. She was in her usual sleeping position; as close to him as possible without actually touching him, because they had tried sleeping in each others arms and nice though the concept was, it didn't make for a good night's sleep.

His mind was still reeling from his experiences of tonight. It had been nerve-wracking getting up on stage with a multi-million pound artist and playing guitar. Correction: three multi-million pound artists including the one whose guitar arrangement he had played.

He was glad _that_ fact had only just occurred to him.

There had been a definite buzz when Casey, still slightly awe-struck herself finished the song with, "People! I give you…Pat Benetar, Neil Giraldo and Derek Venturi!"

He wondered if anyone had filmed it.

Pat and Casey had gone on to sing the 'Nah Nah' song together with Neil playing the lead. That was an ego trip too, especially as when he had arranged the whole prank with Pat's management and eventually Pat herself, she had asked to sing the 'Nah Nah' song saying that it reminded her slightly of her 'Ooh Ooh' song.

Afterwards in the dressing room, Neil had been complimentary about Derek's playing when he explained that he had learnt the piece over four months. Casey was in tease mode and joked that he only got Neil in because he baulked at playing the bridge himself. Whereupon Jaz plugged in his guitar and made Derek play the bridge in front of them all.

Impressed, Casey had thrown herself at him and kissed him resoundingly - and Pat and Neil had to be let into the whole secrecy thing.

0000000000

Derek hadn't chased her round their bedroom when they got back to the hotel, they were both tired. Instead, he had taken her to bed and made love to her gently.

"I want to change my name when we get married." She said in the afterglow.

"Oh?" Derek said, kissing her fingers.

"I mean it shouldn't cause too many problems because people only use my first name anyway, but I want to be Casey Venturi."

He grinned at her. "Not hugely rock and roll, princess."

"Exactly, we aren't."

Which, considering how they had spent their evening, made him laugh.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**AN:**

**Apologies to LeAnn Rimes for accrediting her "Right Kind Of Wrong" to Casey. I would have written her a song myself, but if I was seriously any good at songwriting I wouldn't be here writing fanfics.**

**And apologies to anyone who isn't a PB fan. The reason why I chose the track is because you can see Michael Seater slaughter it (and Ashley Leggatt almost nail it) if you search for the phrase: **

'**Ashley Leggat vs. Michael Seater at Guitar Hero III' **

**on YouTube.**

**And also because I like the track.**

**Please excuse all the music in this…it is a fic about the music industry – not a songfic!**


	29. Kendra Again

"Okay." Derek stood at the top of Casey's stair case and looked down on the assembled contingent of staff.

"You are all obviously wondering why I've called you all here today, and I just have to say I appreciate everyone dropping everything to be here. But, I hope you'll understand why I've done this in a minute. Firstly, Casey wants me to say she's really sorry about not being here to tell you this in person, but she's currently in Ontario breaking it to our parents so you lot get stuck with me." There was a twitter of laughter throughout the group.

We are going to be announcing something _huge_ in one hour, so as of now anything else you had planned for today and tomorrow is cancelled. I've arranged for ten new phone lines and I will need people to staff them. There is going to be an obscene amount of media interest in this news story and I need you to be able to handle it. I will be passing you all a copy of the press release before you leave. Please people, stick to the party line on this one. No speculations and no unauthorised communication with the press. I hope I don't have to remind all of you that there is a confidentiality clause in your contracts and I'm not afraid to use it."

He needn't have bothered. The people below him had seen him deal with Milo. They weren't going to cross 'DV' as he had become affectionately known amongst the staff. (This had amused the hell out of Casey who had taken to calling him 'VD' whenever she was discussing him with one of the most immediate members of staff.)

Derek glanced down at his clipboard.

"This is what we will be releasing in approximately fifty minutes:

_It is with great excitement that Casey McDonald would like to announce her forthcoming marriage. The marriage will take place May 19__th__ at her home in LA. Casey is aware that there will be some speculation as to the identity of her fiancé, but declines to name him at this point in order to protect his privacy. She asks that you respect that need for privacy in the forthcoming weeks._

_This is an awesome development in Casey's life and she is delighted to be able to share the news with all her loyal fans. She sends her love and best wishes to you all."_

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In retrospect, Derek thought, ten extra phone lines was too conservative an estimate, but at least the ten lines seemed to be handling the press quite well. He'd heard on the grapevine that there was a slight degree of consternation at Camp David that a major breakthrough on the Middle East conflict had come second to Casey's engagement on news broadcasts. Hey, he couldn't help it if his fiancée was more interesting than the Gaza Strip.

Derek, himself, had given up on picking up his desk phone when it rang, and was screening the calls to his cell. When it vibrated next, he looked down.

**Sam Mob**.

Derek had let all of their friends know by emailing them the following about ten minutes before the press got their notice:

_Hi All! Sorry for the impersonal way I'm doing this but if I tried to phone you all by the time I finished someone would have seen it on the news first and I wanted you all to see that I tried to tell you first._

_Casey is getting married. As you all know, Casey always manages to complicate things, so she is neglecting to tell anyone who she is marrying until the day of the wedding. I kid ye not._

_The wedding will be on May 19__th__ and you will be invited, so please keep the date free. _

_Looking forward to getting drunk with you all come May 19__th__._

_Laters,_

_Derek (aka De Boss – whatever Casey says)._

Briefly wondering if Sam was going to be upset about the engagement, Derek answered the phone.

"Yo Sammy!"

"Who are you? And what have you done with my best friend?" Sam asked. Derek chuckled. Sam continued. "Because I know you and there is no way you would ever let Casey marry a stranger. Come to think of it, I'm surprised you are letting her marry at all."

"I didn't have a great deal of choice, Sam. She begged. There was a danger of tears."

"Yeah but Derek, you're just usually so protective of her. Is this really the right thing for her?"  
Derek sighed. He didn't want to have to tell Sam the truth, but he couldn't lie to him. So he tried to find a middle ground.

"Sam. Believe me. This will be good for Casey. It's stability. And Case needs to be stable. Hell she hasn't been so far." He kidded.

Sam sighed. "I just hope you know what you're doing." Then his voice brightened. "What was all that about jamming with Neil Giraldo?"

"You caught that, huh?" Derek grinned.

"Couldn't miss it. What the hell were you wearing? You looked like something you'd find hanging off a Christmas tree."

"One word, Sammy…Ralph! Someone saw fit to let him choose my outfit." Ged came in making a neck slicing gesture. That didn't sound good.

"Sam, something's come up. I'll call you later, okay? Bye!"

He hung up.

"Saved by the bell." He muttered. "What's up?"

"Hello magazine. Threatening to publish a photo of Case lip-locked with some guy called Truman, unless you take Kendra's calls."

Derek groaned.

"Put her through."

There was a pause. "Kendra. Where the fuck did you get a picture of Casey kissing Truman?"

"Dere-bear darling!"

"Cut the crap, Kendra. I asked you a question."

"Truman emailed it to me." Kendra replied.

Derek laughed. "That figures."

"Oh come on Derek, if your ex-girlfriend made it big as a rock star wouldn't you want pictures of you kissing her to be all over the press."

The irony of the statement made him chuckle even more.

"Publish the picture, Kendra. I wouldn't want to deprive Truman of his ten seconds of fame." He hung up but left his hand hovering over his phone. It rang.

"Okay." Kendra said. "I won't publish it, but I want to negotiate over the wedding pictures."

Derek grinned. He wasn't about to tell Kendra that he and Casey had already decided Kendra could have the story. Quite apart from the fact that they wanted to help their friends, it made sense. Derek knew how to manipulate her.

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	30. It Runs In The Family

It was the first time either of them had been to Casey and Derek's house. Edwin corrected himself…Casey's house. He hoped he didn't make that slip in front of Casey. It was just that since they were fifteen it was almost impossible for him to think of Casey and Derek as separate entities. It was always 'Derek and Casey' or 'Casey and Derek'. And when he went home to London in their absence, the talk around the table was always about them as a pair.

Until recently.

Since the announcement of Casey's wedding, there had been conversations that were all Casey and no Derek. And some that were A N Other. For some reason that saddened Edwin. He was curious to see how Derek was taking Casey's forth-coming marriage. Like Sam before him, he found it hard to picture Derek letting Casey marry someone he hadn't met. Actually, he found it hard to think of Derek letting Casey marry anyone.

But then, there _was_ Derek, coming through from the back office to greet Edwin and Lizzie. And Derek looked happy.

Confused, Ed looked cautiously backwards to see what was happening to his bags and was relieved to see that someone was removing them from the cab and bringing them into the house.

"Lizard! Ed-weirdo! Wow Ed, you desperately need a shave, is that a goatee? Or are you trying out for a role in a porn flick?"

Ed winced and resolved to shave as soon as he got to his room. Lizzie grinned. She had been trying to persuade Ed to shave since he had announced the new 'growth' plan. She should have known that Derek would cure him of it.

"Come on. I'll show you your rooms. Casey is out doing a chat show at the moment, but we've got plans for a pizza and a movie tonight."

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The knock at the door was tentative. Edwin opened it and was relieved to see Lizzie on the other side.

"Wow!" Lizzie said. "I know Casey said this was all completely unreal, but…fuck!" Edwin was a little taken aback, he hadn't heard Lizzie swear before…well…apart from that one time when they were…hmmm… he lost himself in a memory and Lizzie had to punch him in the arm to regain his attention.

"Sorry Liz."

"Where were you?" She asked.

"Where do you think?" he asked with a grin. Lizzie blushed.

"You're pretty when you blush like that."

Lizzie recovered her cool. "Come on. Let's go and explore. Then we need to phone home and let them know we arrived. I know mom is dying to hear what this is all like."

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Derek was clearing his desk so that he could have the weekend to spend with Casey and their siblings. It was always a mixed feeling thinking about Casey and their family. It was nice they shared family, but…sometimes it felt weird that he was marrying his step-sister,

And then she was there, in his office, grinning at him. And any doubts as to why he was doing this flew rapidly out of the window screaming.

"Miss me?"

"Nah. I was just about to hit Sunset for some action, babe."

Casey nodded. "Really?"

"Hmm." Derek said, leaning back against his desk. Casey walked backwards into the door and turned the key in the lock.

"If it's action you want…" she said suggestively.

Derek chuckled. "Princess. In case you forgot, my brother and your sister are here."

Casey smirked. "Yeah. But they can wait." She knelt down.

"You are evil McDonald."

She ran her fingers up his thighs. "Sorry. Were you complaining?"

"NO." he said, grinning.

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"Oh come on Ed! You can't seriously think that. It took you three times as long as me to finish Babe Raider. How can you honestly say that you're the master of technology?"  
"I don't know why you two are fighting." Said Lizzie. "It was Casey who beat both of you to the end of Babe Raider."

"Because she cheated." Derek said.

"I did not."  
"You so did." Said Derek, facing off with her. "You waited until Sally was round to challenge me."

"And?"

"And she kept distracting me."  
"And that's my fault because…?"

"You used my weakness against me."

Casey laughed. "Aw…poor Derek, manipulated and used. I tell you what. I challenge you both to a game of Babe Raider III. Me against you two and Liz can adjudicate."

"Deal. You're on." Said Derek. Edwin and Liz rolled their eyes.

Derek and Edwin lost.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

They ate their pizza and watched the movie. Or rather the movie played in the background while they teased each other and joked about. And each of them enjoyed the fact they were with the people they loved most in the world – parents, and younger siblings aside.

A couple of times, Casey caught Lizzie's eye and they said a warm smile. Neither of them could imagine how their lives could have been better if their mom hadn't married George. Unseen, Liz found Edwin's hand and squeezed it, and Derek slid his arm around behind Casey.

It was late when they made their way up to their rooms. Derek going to his own room – which was more like a glorified dressing room these days. He changed into his pyjamas and opening the door on the landing cautiously, slipped next door into Casey's room.

If he had been five minutes later, he would have seen Edwin perform an almost identical manoeuvre to take him into Lizzie's room.

"Shh!" said Lizzie. "You'll wake the house."

"Sorry. I'm new at this."

"We should just tell Casey that we want to share a room." Lizzie said, closing the door behind him.

"Lizzie. She would pack us off to the nearest shrink. Step-siblings are not supposed to sleep with each other."

His girlfriend bit her lip and cursed her sister's need for secrecy.

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"How long are they here for?" Derek asked, climbing into bed.

"Lizzie's here to help me plan the wedding, so I guess until the wedding. She got a pass from college."

Derek stared at her. "You mean I've got to tip-toe into our room every night until you're my wife?"

Casey grinned. "Yes. But I'll make it up to you."

"You'll need to. I'm expecting a nurse's outfit or french maid at least."  
"Der-ek!"

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

5am.

Casey's home.

The landing.

Derek emerges from Casey's bedroom at exactly the same time as Edwin emerges from Lizzie's.

Derek looked at his younger brother, an eyebrow raised.

"I hope you were being safe."

"Of course."

"Cool."

"Are you?"

"No need. I'm marrying her." Derek smirked, turned round and went back to Casey.


	31. A Skull Ring

Breakfast.

Lizzie wasn't talking to Edwin – because he got caught.

Casey wasn't talking to Derek – because he got caught and then told Edwin.

And Edwin…was still in shock.

"So. When are you planning on telling the fam?" He said trying to sound bright and cheerful against a charged atmosphere. Derek sipped his coffee. Edwin could tell he was in a foul mood. He wondered what words had been exchanged between Casey and Derek.

"We're not. And please don't discuss it in public."

"We aren't in public, Derek."

His elder brother's eyes snapped up and he hissed in a quiet voice. "Yes. We are. We share our home with people who aren't family, Edwin. And whilst we have all the confidentiality agreements in the world, they are only to clear up the mess after the damage is done. We are not discussing this here."

He leant close to Edwin. "You seriously think we don't want to tell anyone? I'm finally settling down, committing myself to one person. The family would be so proud of me, if it wasn't for the little matter of my wife-to-be." His voice was a quiet whisper, but Edwin still heard because Derek's lips were right by his ear.

"Leave him alone, Derek." Casey said. Her voice quiet.

Edwin looked chastened. "Sorry. I'm not used to this _life_."

Derek relented. "I know. I'm sorry too." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I gotta go." He tried to kiss Casey, but she turned away.

"Fine. Be like that. But this is your last chance for a morning kiss. I'm in meetings all day. Casey kept her head turned away. He got up and left the room.

"I'm sorry, Case." Edwin was apologetic.

"S'ok Ed. He's just a bit on edge. We both are. We take it out on each other because we can't take it out on anyone else." She smiled wryly. "Or at least not until today. Lizzie. I'll put you in the room next to Ed's. There's a communicating door."

"It's okay Case. I don't think I'll be needing it." She glared at him.

Casey laughed. "Yes you will. You'll forgive each other and you don't want to be crossing the landing for the make-up sex."

Her sister looked up at her in surprise. "You sound like Derek." The comment made Casey laugh harder.

"That's hardly surprising." She stood up. "I've blocked out today apart from a small rehearsal, so that I can spend it with you. As you're going to be living here for a while, I thought I'd show you around, and this afternoon we can start talking about the wedding. Sound good?"

Lizzie nodded.

"Right. I need to go and…erm…talk…with our brother, so I'll see you about 9.30am?"

"Sure." Lizzie said and Casey swept from the room.

There was an awkward silence.

"Do you think the family are going to have a problem with it?" Lizzie asked in a small voice.

Edwin sighed and reached for more toast. "I damn well hope not, coz if they do, we're screwed too."

"Hmmm." Lizzie said thoughtfully. She regarded him over her mug of green tea. Her step-brother. Her friend. Her future?

"What are we going to do until 9.30?" Ed asked, trying to break the silence.

Lizzie grinned. "I've got a few ideas." She said, and Ed knew he was forgiven,

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Derek was with Ged when Casey found him. He glanced up at her.

"I said I'm busy."

"Okay. I'll go talk to Ralph instead." She said, turning on her heels. Derek, who had assumed that she wanted to talk about their fight, looked confused.

"Talk to Ralph about what?"

"Nothing. It's fine."

She was up to something.

"Casey…" He said warningly. Casey stopped at the door and looked back at him.

"I just thought I might have my navel pierced and I wondered if that would be starting a new trend or just too passé." She looked thoughtful. "Maybe I should just go the whole hog and have my nipples pierced."

"Ged. Go! Now!" Derek said, his face turning rabid, Casey could almost see the foaming around his mouth.

Ged fled, slamming the door behind him. Derek, still livid looked at Casey.

"Tell me that was a ruse." He stated.

"I think Ralph would be keen. What do you think?"

Derek crossed the room and locked the door.

"Please tell me you are just trying to get my attention."

"I've heard you can get other parts pierced too." She said, still on her train of thought.

Derek caught her waist and pressed her into the door.

Casey grinned at him. "I had you worried for a while."

"On the contrary, Casey. Feel free to get your nipples pierced if you like. I'll thread a little chain through them and lead you around like a poodle."

She stared at him.

He frowned. "What?

"Are you _serious_?"

Derek laughed. "Had you worried for a while." He said smirking.

Casey relaxed. "The trouble with you and me is we are too competitive."

He shook his head. "The trouble with you and me is we don't get enough time alone together."

"We're alone now." She said in _that_ voice again.

"I'm supposed to be in a meeting."

She pulled him over to a chair and sat him down.

"You're in an important meeting. You're trying to persuade me not to get my body parts pierced. Personally, I don't see your problem." She said, continuing the game.

"Your body parts are fine as they are." He said, looking up at her. Casey lifted her top up.

"Are you sure?"

And Derek knew the meeting was going to have to wait.

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Casey was rehearsing with Jaz in the garden studio when Ralph walked in carrying a small leather-bound box.

"Platinum or gold, t-bars or rings, diamonds or sapphires?" he asked opening the box to reveal a selection of items for piercings. "I have a very tasteful skull ring myself." And with that, Ralph pulled up his T-shirt and exposed a very red and sore looking nipple with a skull ring through it.

Casey stared at him. She was utterly speechless for about thirty seconds.

"It doesn't hurt Casey, not if you get it done by a proper professional. Or so they tell me. I did mine with a darning needle and a cork. That hurt."

Feeling slightly green, Casey rubbed at her forehead.

"Ralph. It was a joke. Designed to wind Derek up. I have no intention of introducing a needle to any part of my anatomy, _especially_ the tender bits."

"Oh…"

"I can't believe you thought for one minute I would seriously consider…"

"Casey!" Jaz said pointing to the door, where one very amused Derek was leaning, watching the show.

She sighed. "This was a joke, wasn't it? Ralph hasn't really got a piercing." Derek smirked.

"I didn't know you could do so many shades of green, Spacey."

"Unfair, Derek." She said. "Jaz, let's take a break I need a cup of tea and some quiet time to _myself_." She stepped out into the garden and made for the main house.

Derek slapped Ralph on the back.

"That was great Ralphie. You got the tone exactly right, and the red nipple trick – stunning in its simplicity, especially with the needle comment."

Ralph looked confused. "What red nipple trick?"

His friend motioned toward Ralph's chest. "The 'I used a darning needle and a…'" Derek stopped, a horrible suspicion clouding his mind. "Ralph. Please tell me that nipple ring is fake."

"I'd love to D, because it burns like hell."

Derek looked green. "You mean it's _real_? And the darning needle story was true."

Ralph grinned broadly. "Well…duh…yeah! We can't let Casey have a piercing and not join in."

Jaz and Derek looked at each other in horror.


	32. Lizzie Takes Charge

"Ralph. You cannot justify gold lamé. Antique lace…good for the environment, natural fibres, little in the way of bleaching, and the fabric and garments are common place in the second hand market. Second-hand gold lamé is just uncommon which means it involves a lot of travelling to find it and the actual process of manufacture involves nasty chemicals. Plus, much as I love my sister, she does not suit gold." Lizzie put her hands on her hips and turned to Dawn for confirmation. Ralph's cousin looked at him sadly.

"She's right, Ralphie. Casey's skin tone and gold…urgh!"

Casey slipped away from the debate and bumped into Derek in the corridor.

"What's so amusing?" he asked, glancing around and then taking the opportunity to press her back into an empty office and shut the door behind them.

"Lizzie is putting Ralph in his place."

Derek frowned. "Over what?"

"My wedding dress." And then, in reply to his raised eyebrow she went on. "Ralph wants gold lamé."

"Ew!"

Casey smiled. "Don't worry. Lizzie's on the case. How are you doing?"

Derek perched on the desk and held a hand out to her.

"I'm beginning to regret not running away to Las Vegas with you. You know Britney had the right idea about that."

"Right idea, wrong guy." She smiled at him. "I am really looking forward to all this being out in the open."

"You aren't the one getting out of bed every day at 5am."

"I could be. Why don't we swap?"

Derek pulled her into the space between his feet and kissed her forehead.

"Because, princess, I don't get paid to look gorgeous, you do."

"Sometimes, I wish we had a normal life. You know a house where we shut the door and the only people in it are us and that I could just get in the car and go to the local store and get the groceries."

"It'll come. You'll get bored eventually and ask me to stop booking you for things."

"Hmmm. Probably. Will you still want me when I'm a nobody?"

Derek smirked. "You've always been a nobody to me, Casey." She stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed. "We've lived through each other's teen years. I really don't think anything could be worse than that."

She nodded. "Hmm. Vegas, though. Why _didn't_ we think of that?"

Derek started to kiss her neck. "I did. But we care about our family. We couldn't do that to them."

"No. I guess not. It's bad enough that we fell for each other…I wonder what they'll make of this. I dreamt Dad pulled a shotgun on you last night."

Derek looked up suddenly. "I get on alright with Dennis but then he doesn't know I'm sleeping with his daughter."

"You're _marrying_ his daughter. That has to count for something." Casey giggled as he moved his lips back to her neck.

"Yeah. Twenty five to Life."

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Edwin was negotiating with Kendra. It hadn't been the plan.

Edwin had been given a desk in the corner of Derek's large office from which to run Lizzie's business and help co-ordinate the wedding. This put him in the centre of the action when Kendra called Derek to talk over details of Hello!'s coverage of the wedding.

The elder brother had been batting down Edwin's gushing about being a rock star's manager. Palming him off with 'it's not as glamorous as it seems' and 'you should talk to the prima donnas I deal with – and for once I don't mean our sister.' (He and Casey were making a lot of their familial relationship at the moment, mentioning regularly so that people didn't get their real relationship.)

When Kendra phoned she greeted Derek enthusiastically.

"Dere-bear!" Derek sighed and flicked the loud speaker switch so that Edwin could hear.

"Hi Kendra. Ready to talk brass tacks?"

"Shouldn't that be brass rings?" Kendra said. Derek and Edwin exchanged a look.

"Are you?" Derek prompted. He was hoping to get this wrapped up early, Casey had an appearance on MTV later and they needed to be at the studios by 3pm.

"Yeah sure. Now. About this not revealing the groom business…I mean obviously we are going to be able to have an exclusive chat with him _before_ the wedding aren't we? I mean, I want all the copy written before the ceremony so that we can just shoot the pics and have it in the editing suite before she cuts the cake."

"No. Kendra."

"Why?"

"Because that would mean that you would know the identity of Casey's husband before her own family."

Kendra sighed. "I will have to pad out the magazine with an article on her ex-boyfriends then."

"Kendra…" Derek said warningly. Edwin stood up.

"How about an exclusive interview with the _bride_ before the wedding, and pictures of her putting her garter on. You know, leg in the air and someone under her skirts." Edwin interjected.

Kendra sounded puzzled. "Edwin? What are you doing there?"

"Running Lizzie's company for her."

"Wow!"

"Yeah. I know. Cool eh? Anyway, How about the garter picture and an exclusive interview with the newlyweds immediately after the ceremony?"

"Hmm… I'll think about it." Kendra said.

Derek left Edwin to it. It sounded as though both men had inherited their father's negotiation skills. And he was fed up with negotiating with his ex-girlfriend. It had been bad enough when he dated her.

Besides, since it was Ed who was doing the negotiation it could be him that told Casey about the 'garter' picture.

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Three days later, Lizzie beckoned Casey into her room.

"Lock the door." She hissed.

Casey, amused, did as she was instructed and followed Lizzie further into the room.

"Now. I've found you a dress, and it is so perfect for you that I don't want anyone else to see it – except Dawn, and then only if you like it."

"Ok-ay…" Casey said cautiously.

"It's second hand." Lizzie said.

Casey had a thing about second hand wedding dresses – she hated them. Being a helpless romantic and ridiculously superstitious at times, she didn't want to wear something that would bring with it the history of another marriage.

"I know. I know." Lizzie said. "But I spoke to the daughter of the lady this was made for. The marriage lasted for sixty years and they died within weeks of each other. And you have to see this dress. It's just so _you_."

Casey nodded. "Ok."

Lizzie opened the door to her closet and removed a large white hanging bag. She clipped it to the en-suite door and unzipped it.

Casey gasped. It was beautiful, a fitted concoction of lace and duchess satin with intricate pearls and beading. It was everything Casey had doodled as a child and so much more.

"Wow!"

"You like?" Lizzie said in a silly voice.

"Yes. I love it!"

"You know the best bit? It was a fraction of what Dawn was expecting to have to pay for a designer number. They were asking far too little for it, so I gave them a bit more – I hope that was okay?"  
Casey nodded. "So did the daughter wear it?" she asked still mesmerised by the dress.

Lizzie coughed. "Erm. No. The daughter and her very female partner weren't able to get married."

"Their loss is my gain." Casey said. "Can I try it on?"

"I thought you'd never ask."


	33. The Letter

It had been a crazy few months, hell it had been a crazy few years. The end however, was in sight. In a few days, Casey McDonald would become Casey Venturi.

She _should_ be excited.

It was going to be her dream wedding. The one she had started planning in her head when she was six years old, and had written down and annotated when she was fifteen.

Of course, fifteen year old Casey would have been highly unimpressed with the choice of husband…even if she _had_ felt the attraction the first time they faced each other down. She had analysed everything in detail over the years and she blamed his eyes. They were like those little magnet toys you have when you are a kid, an irresistible attraction.

He was always watching her, as if his eyes were draw to her as much as she was drawn to him.

He was watching her now. And the eyes were full of concern.

"Great timing huh?" she said, from her position on the bathroom floor.

He smirked. "It could have been worse. Personally, I blame you for that lame comment all those months ago about Dennis coming after me with a shotgun."

She laughed weakly and leant against the side of the bath.

"It's not a shotgun wedding."  
He came and sat beside her. "No. But only because we were already getting married." He pulled her into his arms.

"I'm sorry. I'm probably going to spend most of our honeymoon like this." She said, burying her face in his shoulder.

When she raised her head again, Derek smiled at her. It was one of those smiles that reminded her forcefully of why she was marrying him.

"I think it's time I stepped up and took responsibility for my actions." He said, softly. "You didn't do this alone."

They both chuckled. "I'm sorry. We didn't even get to discuss it. I mean you didn't get a choice."

"Casey. You know me better than any other person on this planet. Can you, have you ever seriously doubted that this would be something that I want?"

"No. I guess not." She said, thinking of the way he had been with Marti and Robbie.

"What about you?" he asked, brushing her hair from her face.

"I'm scared. I'm not sure I could do this with any other person."

"I love you, Casey. You won't have to." They gazed at each other for a long moment.

And then as though aware he was approaching the Derek plimsoll line of sappiness, he stood up, pulling her with him. "Now are you done hurling because I need a pee?"

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She was going to freak out the morning of the wedding he knew. After she stopped vomiting, and had tried the dress on three times to make sure it still fitted her slim stomach, she would at some point forget that they would be celebrating their first wedding anniversary as a family of three.

Then she would remember she was getting married.

And who she was getting married to…

…which was why he invited Paul Greeby to the wedding. And it was why he wrote _the_ letter, screw the sappiness. If he didn't push the boat out today of all days, he might lose her.

That was never happening again.

He had taken himself off to London two weeks before the wedding, without telling any one. He had walked around the familiar places where they grew up – and if truth be told, where they had fallen in love. When he had got back to his hotel that night, he sat down and he wrote. It took several drafts.

_Don't expect 'sappy', McDonald. I don't do it._

_What I do 'do' is wake up every morning, look at you and quietly thank my father for marrying your mother and bringing you into my life.( I also curse the bastard for not marrying the mother of a supermodel, so don't feel too comfortable)._

_I want to know what the hell gave you the right to waltz into my calm existence all those years ago aged fifteen and stamp a great big CASEY'S across my heart. (I'm kind of tempted to have DEREK'S tattooed across your right breast in retribution.)_

_Living with you has always been an adventure; one long series of broken hearts, broken promises and broken windows. I've been the instigator as well as the one who wiped your tears._

_I'm so sorry for every time that it was me that hurt you. It's only ever been about getting your attention whilst pretending I just don't care. The reality is I do care. And there isn't enough paper in the world to tell you how much I care about you…How much I love you and our baby._

_Our family love you and they love me. They will come to love 'US'. And if there is a hurdle, we will vault it together. (Let's hope it comes before you reach whale status)._

_Don't freak this morning. Just put your hand on our baby, smile and remember this isn't you marrying Derek Venturi. This is you marrying the father of your baby. Our baby._

_You are my past, my present, and you are most definitely my future._

_I love you._

_Marry me._

_Derek X_

_P.S. Oh fuck. You did it again. I broke my no sappiness rule. Do you realise how many rules I've broken for you over the years? _

_P.P.S. You're worth every one._

He had smirked to himself as he sealed the envelope. If that didn't open the flood gates, nothing would.

Derek paused and then he rubbed the back of his hand across his own eyes.

**The End.**

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If it ended too abruptly for you, go read The Wedding again. Because that's the next scene. When things calm down, I might write another post-The Wedding one shot.

But I have other stories to finish first.


End file.
